


Appreciation

by SLynn



Series: Happy Enough [11]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, relationship building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-30
Updated: 2005-03-30
Packaged: 2018-01-01 00:47:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 56,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1038350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLynn/pseuds/SLynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

 **Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Alright -- here are the first two chapters in my latest sequel of my 'Happy' ~~monstrosity~~ series. Although why I continue to call it 'Happy' is beyond me. Thanks as always to [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) and [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)_[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) who relentless put up with my emails and bad grammar and occasional wacky word placement. And by occasional I mean nearly every other one. :) Hope you enjoy this and all I have to add is that I'm *trying* for happier here. 

_Maybe redemption has stories to tell_  
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell  
Where can you run to escape from yourself?  
Where you gonna go?  
Where you gonna go?  
Salvation is here 

_**‘Dare You to Move’ by Switchfoot** _

Chapter 1: Should Be

Four months.

It had been four months and to Greg it seemed much longer even though not much had changed.

Greg was still living alone in the house. It had taken him a month to finally move his couch into the living room and even then he’d only done it at Amy’s insistence. She claimed to have grown tired of sitting on the floor but actually she thought he needed to try and move on. He’d kept the house virtually untouched until then and she’d suspected he was actually sleeping on that couch in the spare room instead of in his own bed.

So one day she’d come over and they’d changed the place around together. Greg really hadn’t thought it would help but it actually did.

Another big change for him came from Dr. Jennings. She’d insisted he try a sleeping aid. Between the nightmares he was still having all too frequently and Sara’s departure from his life she felt he needed the extra help. She prescribed him a fairly light one and he’d agreed to try it. After a solid week of dreamless sleep he was glad he did. Greg hadn’t felt that good, at least physically, in a very long time.

Emotionally it was a different story.

Sara and Greg only spoke when they had too. It was almost always work related but occasionally one or the other of them would slip and something kinder would pass from their lips. That in itself was pretty rare but it had happened.

And of course like most breakups the first time didn’t exactly take.

There were two occasions in which they’d fallen back on old habits so to speak. Two times where neither of them had really been thinking and let their need for comfort overcome their sense of right. The first time was a month after they’d broken up. The second was two weeks ago after Nick’s birthday party.

Greg wasn’t proud of either instance, wished it hadn’t happened and tried his best to forget they had. That really wasn’t easy. But even with those two setbacks as he had termed them, things really were looking better.

Greg wasn’t exactly out there dating or anything but he wasn’t staying home alone and sulking either. And his not dating wasn’t from lack of everyone he knew trying.

Betty had a niece she thought would be a perfect match for him and offered to set him up on a near daily basis. Greg continued to politely decline. Dr. Tracey, with whom he had learned to keep his appointments with, had a granddaughter who was pre-med at UNLV she thought he’d like. Once more Greg gave a very firm no. Catherine had even tried in her own way to get him to at least go out with someone else but Greg wasn’t ready yet. The closest thing he came to date was going with Nick, Amy and Karen, once she’d moved into town, to the movies every couple of weeks.

And of course all of that fueled speculation that Karen and he were dating. It wasn’t true. It wasn’t even close to true but Greg couldn’t find the energy to fight it. Amy either, but she had her own reasons. She’d be a liar if she said she didn’t think they would make a cute couple, but she seriously doubted Greg was ready for it. And the last thing she wanted was for her little sister to be hurt.

All in all things were getting back to normal.

Greg was no longer so quiet. He was joking again. Laughing again. Acting like his old self and this time it didn’t seem like a lie.

Despite the change in his demeanor, nothing had really changed for him. He still felt he had been the real problem in their relationship. That if he’d done something different or better or just been a different person she’d of been able to open up to him more.

That and he still loved her.

But he was trying now.

He still loved her but he was trying not too. Greg was trying to be indifferent and failing miserably. She made him weak in ways he didn’t think possible.

But he was trying.

So it was with that attitude, the same one he adopted nightly before heading into work that he left for the lab that evening.

Greg was going to be indifferent. It was his mantra.

Of course he thought that everyone saw right through him. That they all knew he was still pining away. Sara especially.

What he didn’t know was that Sara was probably the only one who believed his act.

Sara had no false hopes that she could ever undo the damage she’d caused him. She’d done what she’d always done when things were rough in her life, she’d let her work consume her.

She’d seen Greg’s attitude shift subtly over the last couple of months and had been happy and sad all at once. Happy that she hadn’t completely destroyed him as the looks she got from both Amy and Catherine seemed to suggest. Sad that it really was over.

She didn’t want it to be.

But she didn’t allow herself the hope that he still returned her feelings. That though they’d spent the night together twice since they’d officially called off their engagement she really thought it was over. That those nights had been more about loneliness and physical attraction then they had been about real need and desire. Or love.

So each night before she left for work Sara affected a similar attitude. One of unconcern.

Sara pretended to be unconcerned with Greg.

The problem was that Sara was a much better actor then Greg. Her façade was much more believable. No one saw through her act. Nick suspected but couldn’t be certain, but that was a close as anyone came to guessing the truth. A single suspicion.

And there they sat.

Sara and Greg sat nearly as far as they could from each other during the pre-shift meeting. Indifference and unconcern aside, being too close did neither of them any good.

Grissom had yet to arrive so Warrick, Catherine and Nick were all chatting like normal. Greg did his best to look like he was involved but his head was a million miles away. Sara didn’t even try.

Greg tuned in just in time to hear his name being repeated.

“What?” he asked looking to Catherine.

“I asked you what that DVD was that you leant me for Lindsey?”

“Oh,” Greg said thinking about it for a split second, “Spirited Away.”

”That’s it,” Catherine agreed.

“Did she like it?”

”Loved it. I think you’re going to have a hard time getting it a back.”

”She can keep it,” Greg said with a shrug, “I think I’ve got too much animation in my collection then a grown man is allowed.”

Warrick, Catherine and Nick all laughed at this, knowing it was true and Greg smiled as well. He thought Sara did but she’d turned away so he couldn’t be certain. She use to tease him about it.

And like that he couldn’t believe he was already thinking about her.

Greg turned his head and repeated his mantra about indifference and was spared further conversation by Grissom’s arrival.

Instead of immediately rattling off case assignments as they’d grown accustomed to hearing him do, Grissom came in, shut the door and sat down at the table.

“I can’t believe I’m about to say this but someone has to go home.”

They all looked at him, uncertain if they’d heard that right, each and everyone of them showing their disbelief plainly on their face.

“What?” Catherine finally asked.

“Ecklie has noted that graveyard shift has charged more overtime then the other shifts.”

”Just because we’re more dedicated…” Sara started but Grissom quickly cut her off.

“Combined.”

They all let that sink in knowing how true it was.

“Now I’m not pointing the finger at anyone, we’re all guilty, but from now on if you have a day off you are not to be in this lab.”

”Griss,” Nick started to object.

“No buts,” he cut off once more. “I can’t stop you from working from home but I can stop you from working here.”

They each nodded slowly.

“That being said,” Grissom said turning and looking right at Greg and obviously waiting.

“What?” he asked as everyone was now also staring and obviously waiting.

“Greg,” Grissom answered, “You’re not scheduled to be here tonight.”

”And?”

Grissom rubbed his head in frustration. Nick and Warrick both had to look away or else burst out laughing.

“And shouldn’t you be at home.”

”Oh, so you were serious about that because I thought it was one of those times when you say one thing because you have to but really you mean something else entirely.”

“No it’s the thing where I tell you to do something and you actually do it.”

”Are you sure it isn’t a metaphor…”

”Go home Greg.”

”Fine,” he said standing up, resigned to his fate.

“And don’t come back until Sunday.”

”Sunday?” Greg questioned stopping at the door, “But I’m on…”

Grissom stopped him with a look.

“Fine,” he repeated shutting the door on his way out.

Instead of heading to the locker room for his things he made his way down to the DNA lab to say hello to Amy.

“That was quick,” she said not looking up.

“Really quick,” Greg said leaning over the counter to see what she was doing, “Grissom kicked me out.”

”What did you do?”

”Apparently my job.”

Amy looked up at him now clearly not buying it.

“Ecklie’s got a twist in his shorts about all the overtime we’ve been logging.”

”So? He’s always got a twist in his shorts.”

”Well now we’re not allowed to spend our days off at work.”

Amy nodded but was secretly glad. Not only did that mean Nick might actually spend a night a week not working but Greg might not spend all his nights in the lab.

“So I take it you’re off tonight.”

”Yep,” he said sitting down in the nearest chair.

“And you’re still here because…”

”Because I have nowhere else to be,” he finished.

“It’s Friday night Greg,” she said putting down her test, “Go out. Have fun.”

”Alone? No thanks. I’d rather stay home eating Ben and Jerry’s in my underwear while I watch Springer.”

”Thanks for that visual.”

”You know you love me.”

Amy laughed and shook her head at him.

“Well, call Karen,” she offered finally. “She probably hasn’t gone out yet.”

”I’m too old to be hanging out with her.”

”What? You hang out with me.”

”But you’re much older then she is.”

”Three years,” Amy shot back sounding offended.

“It makes a big difference.”

”That’s it,” she said throwing up her hands and walking around the counter, “Get out.”

”I was joking.”

”I’m not,” she said beginning in vain to pull him from the chair, “Go Greg. If you don’t call Karen then call someone. Anyone. Call Charlie or Brass even, whichever of them has the night off. But go Greg. Now.”

”But I like it here,” Greg whined.

”Greg,” Amy said starting to sound truly exasperated.

“Okay fine,” Greg said getting up and moving towards the door, “but I want it known that I’m really starting to feel unloved around here.”

“Duly noted,” Amy said with a laugh, unable to stop it at the pert look on his face.

Greg walked out without another word and Amy began her work again.

“Amy,” she heard not two seconds later from the door.

She just looked up at him.

“Goodnight,” Greg said to her with a smile.

“Call Karen,” she returned quite serious.

Greg shrugged but didn’t reject the idea outright this time and Amy seemed content with that. She gave him a wave as he moved from the door back towards the locker room.

He still hadn’t decided what to do with the night, scratch that, with the two nights he now had off so he headed for the house.

Halfway there his phone rang and catching the name on the ID box he smiled and shook his head as he answered it.

”Amy called you didn’t she?” he questioned right away.

“Said you needed to get out more,” Karen’s voice came on the line with a laugh. “Meet us at Rain in the Palms.”

”Who is this us?” Greg asked almost afraid to find out.

“A few friends,” Karen answered and then laughed again. “One of them knows the guy who’s at the door.”

Greg smiled as he considered it.

“Come on,” she beckoned.

“Fine,” he said like a sigh, “give me half an hour.”

”I’ll be timing you.”

Greg didn’t say goodbye just shut the phone and grinned as he pulled into the drive.

This was how it should be. He should be going out with his friends on the weekend. Not caring about what it might look like or who might not approve. He was an adult. He was single. The only person he had to please right now was himself.

Greg could be indifferent. He really could. He told himself that again as he got out of the car and almost believed it this time.

That was until he got inside the house.

It happened every time.

Every time he walked through the door he was flooded with memories of her. Of them. Some good, some not so good.

He tried to tell himself he could be indifferent but really he couldn’t.

Greg couldn’t stop caring for her.

**Chapter 2: Tell Me Lies**

The lab that night was fairly slow.

Nick and Sara had picked up another arson case in Green Valley. It was the fifth fire in five months. The first two were fairly well contained with minimal damage and about two months apart. The last three however were much bigger and more catastrophic. And they were happening closer and closer together. Their firebug, whoever it was, was getting better and more eager in his work.

After a long night of shifting through the burnt out remains of the building, once more relieved that it was an empty building and no bodies had been found, Nick and Sara returned to the lab with their evidence.

“I’ll get these to Trace,” Nick said indicating the bag he had, “Do you want to run the other by DNA?”

Sara wanted to tell him no, that she didn’t, but couldn’t. It was really dumb luck that she’d picked up the two pieces of evidence that needed DNA ran on them: bottle they thought might have contained the accelerant and an empty soda bottle. Dumb luck that seemed to happen more when she worked cases with Nick then anyone else.

Sara knew Nick was just trying to get her and Amy talking again but there were better ways. Actually, no there weren’t. Amy was civil to her but nothing more. And it wasn’t entirely Amy’s doing.

At first Sara had tried to stay friends with her. She knew that Amy and Greg were close and that now there was no way she and Amy would be as well, but she did try. At least she did until she started hearing the rumors. Sara had heard what everyone else in the lab had, that Greg and Karen were dating. And since Amy had introduced them, Sara couldn’t help but be mad.

She tried not to be, tried to continue to be unconcerned, but she was. It wasn’t like she didn’t want Greg to be happy, she really did. She just didn’t think he’d be happy so soon.

Rounding the corner into the lab and just ready to get it over with Sara came into the lab only find Amy with her back turned to her, talking into the phone.

Amy heard someone come in and quickly glanced over her shoulder.

“I’ve got to go Karen,” she said before laughing once at something obviously said on the other end. “Okay. Okay. Bye.”

Amy hung up and turned around.

“From the arson case?” she asked, still smiling at whatever she was told as she looked at the evidence in Sara’s hand.

Sara nodded and proceeded to tell her what it was and what they needed.

“This will be the next thing I do,” Amy said as she took them and began filling out the necessary labels.

Amy had expected Sara to leave; she usually just dropped the evidence and practically ran out the door nowadays. But Sara didn’t this time. Once Amy realized she obviously had something else to say she stopped and looked up.

“Is there more?” she questioned.

“So your sister seems to like Vegas.”

Amy looked down and continued working as a small smile came to her lips. One Sara instinctively misread. Sara thought it was a gloat. Actually, Amy was just nervous.

“Yeah,” Amy finally said still looking down, “she does.”

Sara nodded and shifted uncomfortably obviously wanting to ask more but knowing it wasn’t her business.

“Okay,” she finally said resolved on not asking and leaving before she changed her mind, “you’ll page me or Nick with the results?”

”As soon as I have them,” Amy answered still looking down.

Sara nodded once more and started towards the door.

“Sara,” Amy called out stopping her in the doorway. “They’re not dating.”

”I didn’t…”

”I know you didn’t ask but so you know, they’re not.”

Sara walked back inside some and looked at her as if she was trying to gauge the truth of that statement.

“Look,” Amy said with a sigh, knowing she shouldn’t be saying all this but doing it anyway, “Karen and Greg hang out. That’s it. They were supposed to go out tonight but he bailed on her at the last minute. He hasn’t so much as made an inappropriate look in her direction but…”

”But Karen would go out with him if he asked,” Sara finished with a tight nod.

“Yeah, she would. And knowing Karen she might not wait for him to ask.”

Sara said nothing for a minute just stood there.

“I’m only telling you this because you have a right. I know you and Greg aren’t together…”

”No we’re not,” Sara cut in suddenly not wanting to hear it. “And I don’t have a right, not anymore.”

”Sara…”

”Just page me with the results,” she said before making a quick retreat.

Amy watched her go, slowly shaking her head, hating this whole situation. She’d wanted to tell her that if Sara just put a little effort into it Greg would go back to her. If she would just make some concessions Amy was sure he would. And as much as she liked the idea of Greg and Karen together at this point she didn’t think anyone was going to make him happy like Sara did.

****

Greg sat up part of the way rubbing his head and trying to figure out where all that noise was coming from. Nearly falling off the couch, shaking his head to clear it, he finally realized what it was. His cell phone.

Stretching first, he picked it up and switched it on before yawning his name into it as a form of hello.

“How soon can you make it to the Bellagio?”

”Grissom?” he asked back, his head still foggy. He knew that was the downside of sleeping pills but he didn’t care if they brought him some peace.

“Yes,” Grissom said sounding slightly annoyed. “I need you to get your things and meet me at the Bellagio. Now Greg.”

”I thought I wasn’t working until Sunday.”

”Change of plans,” Grissom said with a near sigh, “Get here Greg and hurry.”

The phone went dead on the other side as Greg slowly got to his feet. Checking the clock, surprised it was almost five, Greg moved as quickly as he could to the bedroom to change.

He skipped the shower, knowing when Grissom said hurry he meant it, and did the best he could with his hair. It was easier to do now that he kept it shorter, but still, he had an image to maintain.

No sooner then he was ready then his phone rang again.

“Sanders,” he said into it, still tired and wondering if he had time to stop for coffee on the way.

“Greg,” came Nick’s voice back at him, “Did Griss get a hold of you?”

”Yeah, I’m on my way.”

”Good. I tried to call you twice but you didn’t answer.”

”You did?” Greg questioned positive the phone had only rang once.

“I did,” Nick repeated almost laughing, “Listen, you’re probably going to get there before me. Traffic on my side of town is backed up to Henderson. Will you let Griss know?”

”Sure thing,” Greg said thinking nothing more of it.

“Hey and you might want to call Charlie, see if he can give you a lift. There’s no way you’re going to make it in your own car.”

”Okay,” Greg said sounding dubious, “but what exactly is going on?”

”Bomb threat,” Nick answered, “the interstates are all a mess, so is the strip.”

”Thanks for the heads up.”

”No problem,” Nick said before hanging up.

Before dialing Charlie up he checked over his missed calls menu and sure enough there was Nick’s number twice and Warrick’s once, both not long before Grissom’s call.

Greg just shrugged it off and started to pull up Charlie on his phone when there was a knock at his front door.

Pulling it open Greg smiled.

“I was just calling you,” he said moving out of the way and letting the detective in.

“I figured,” Charlie said looking as beat as Greg felt.

It turned out that Charlie lived ridiculously close by, like three blocks away, and they’d taken to riding to scenes like this together to save time.

“You ready?” he asked looking Greg over once.

“I guess,” Greg answered moving towards the door. “I just need to get my stuff out of my trunk.”

Charlie nodded, knowing that’s where Greg always kept his things for these reasons.

They made it out to his car and Greg had just popped the trunk when they both turned at the voice calling out to them.

“I love your neighbors,” Charlie said with a grin as Betty was already coming across the street to them both.

Charlie met Betty on his second trip to Greg’s house. It seemed meeting him, a real police officer, finally convinced her that Greg wasn’t one. Now whenever she saw Charlie she barraged him with questions about cases and crimes. He, like Greg, was good natured about it, more amused then offended, but there were times Greg could tell he’d rather not see Betty.

“Greg, Charlie, thank goodness I caught you.”

”What’s wrong Betty?” Greg asked as he shut the trunk, having gotten his things.

“You haven’t heard? Isn’t that where you’re going?”

Greg had no idea what she was talking about but Charlie seemed too.

“Its fine,” he said now in what Greg termed his ‘reassuring cop voice’, “It’s just a bomb scare. There really isn’t a bomb. We’re just going in to investigate.”

”Thank goodness,” she said breathing a sigh of relief, “I was so worried about you two, and well, you know.”

Greg gave her a small smile at that, knowing she meant Sara too. Betty didn’t mention her name anymore but Greg knew when she was referring to her.

“We need to go,” Greg said more to Betty then Charlie.

“I won’t keep you,” Betty said already heading back across the street.

Charlie and Greg both got into his car, Greg putting his things in the back seat first, ready to go.

“Was that true?” Greg asked once they were heading down the street, “Is it really a false alarm?”

”How would I know?” Charlie said with a grin, “I haven’t been there yet.”

“Wow,” Greg said laughing, “You lied? And here I thought you were such a boy scout.”

Charlie was laughing now too, blushing even as he tried to shrug it off.

“Well if I told her the truth she’d of freaked out and we’d never make it there.”

”That’s true, but still.”

”What?” Charlie questioned, “Did I shatter my perfect rep?”

”You did. I’m kind of proud.”

”Yes Greg,” he said sarcastically, “That’s my whole aim in life, to make you proud.”

”It’s about time you set some goals.”

Charlie laughed again at this and said no more. They’d already hit traffic so he was forced to flip on his strobe and pay more attention.

It was going to be a long ride.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 3: Connections

By the time they’d gotten there the real excitement was over.

The bomb, apparently a fake, had been set in the foyer of the casino where it had stayed until the casino manager had noticed it and called the cops. The building, one of the largest casinos in Vegas, had to then be evacuated. 

That in itself was a feat.

No one had panicked, everyone had done as they were instructed, but it still took longer then it should have.

During this time an alarm sounded.

Largely it was ignored because it wasn’t the only one; most of the guards assumed it had been tripped accidentally at an emergency exit. It wasn’t until after the bomb squad arrived and determined it was a fake did they notice that it was still going and that it had nothing to do with doors being left open.

This alarm was coming from the art gallery.

The Bellagio had one of the best galleries in Vegas. It was continuously rotating in and out new exhibits for its visitors and guests alike. All of them beautiful and all of them rare. Most of them on loan from various galleries around the country. Right now there were three main exhibits: a collection of surrealists’ paintings, a collection of impressionists’ paintings and a display of local artists work.

Greg and Charlie split company in the lobby, Charlie joining Brass in interviewing the casino manager and the owner. Greg met with Warrick who was apparently waiting for him.

“Glad you made it,” Warrick said leading the way.

“It wasn’t easy,” Greg returned with a smile, “What have we got?”

”We’ll be in the art gallery,” Warrick said explaining the situation as they went. “Grissom and Sara are talking with the curator now. She’s pretty worked up, wants to do an inventory right away. We don’t know what’s gone yet.”

Greg nodded and let out a whistle as he took in the place.

“You know I’ve never been here,” he said shaking his head.

“Didn’t know you were into art,” Warrick said as he too took it in.

“A little,” Greg admitted, “I took some classes in college.”

Greg stopped in front of one painting that took up an entire wall.

“Man,” he said tilting his head and staring, “I didn’t know they had Dali’s.”

”Come on,” Warrick said pressing him gently, “You’ll have lots of time to gawk later, now we have to work.”

Greg nodded and reluctantly moved away. Likely he’d have plenty of time to ‘gawk’. As big as this place was it was going to take all day and night to process.

****

Dr. Stewart really was in a state.

Grissom and Sara, the first two on the scene, had been questioning her for some time before they could really get any good information from her. She apologized, assured them that she wasn’t normally this way, but they had to understand that the gallery contained some pieces deemed priceless.

Sara assured her as best she could that they did in fact understand her dilemma and that they would do everything they could to help.

“I’m assuming this gallery has surveillance?” Grissom asked her and she nodded, looking relieved.

“I forgot,” she said letting the first smile they’d seen from her pass to her lips, “How… I forgot. We’ve never had anything…well, I’ve only been here a month but I’ve been told we’ve never had anything like this happen before. Let me show you to the surveillance room.”

She quickly made her way from her office and down a long corridor. Sara marveled at how fast she was, especially in heels, but figured that with her job she had years of practice. Dr. Stewart was the first woman curator the Bellagio had ever had. She was also the youngest at thirty-seven. It was impressive.

“Looks like Kenny hasn’t come back yet,” she said unlocking the door and sitting down at the huge console. There were at least thirty monitors on the wall before them each showing a different spot in the gallery.

Grissom and Sara both spotted Greg and Warrick on one of them and Dr. Stewart zoomed in the picture.

“Are those two with you?” she asked looking back up to Grissom.

“Yes,” he confirmed with a nod, “That is CSI Brown and CSI Sanders.”

Dr. Stewart let the image linger for a moment longer, it tight on both their faces before she returned it to normal.

“I only know how to operate all of this at a very basic level,” she said after a moment, “but our technician, Kenny, can get you all the tapes you need.”

”Why don’t we do a walk thru?” Sara suggested, “That way if you see something missing we can fingerprint the area right away.”

”Excellent,” she said standing.

The three of them began their tour and if the circumstances had been different it might have been enjoyable. Dr. Stewart would occasionally remark about specific paintings, mostly out of relief to find them still there. So far all of their most valuable ones remained.

They eventually ran into Greg and Warrick who, without any place to start, were printing the emergency exits and other doors they came across.

“Hey Grissom,” Warrick said turning round as he’d heard them approach.

“Warrick this is Dr. Stewart she’s the curator here,” Grissom said introducing her.

“Nice to meet you,” Warrick said with a warm smile.

Greg turned around now too and paused.

“Greg this is…”

”No need,” Dr. Stewart said cutting Grissom off, “I know Greg.”

For a moment no one moved. It was suddenly very tense between the five of them and only Dr. Stewart seemed unaffected.

“I didn’t know you worked here,” Greg finally said having to say something, forcing a smile to his face.

“I didn’t know you changed professions,” she returned giving him a much easier smile.

Greg looked down quickly before looking back to her. If it were possible he would have melted into the floor. This was just bad. There was no other way to describe it. Just bad.

Worse, they were all looking at him now, waiting for some sort of explanation. And they could keep waiting as far as he was concerned because he was done talking.

Grissom recovered quickest and suggested they keep on moving through the gallery. Dr. Stewart agreed but not before saying goodbye to both men and soon the two of them began to walk away. Sara stayed a moment longer, still looking at Greg, meeting his eye just long enough to let him see her surprise before rejoining Grissom and the doctor.

As soon as they were out of earshot Warrick let out a low chuckle and patted Greg on the shoulder.

“I thought you said you’d never been here before,” Warrick chided after a minute or more of silence.

“I haven’t.”

”Then how….”

”Let’s just work, okay?”

Warrick nodded and let it go. For now.

****

Nearly an hour later Nick finally arrived.

“What’d I miss?” he asked finding Greg and Warrick still printing doors.

“About four thousand prints on this door alone,” Greg deadpanned, some of his humor returning despite his little run-in.

“Yeah and the guy probably wore gloves,” Warrick grumbled along side him.

“They find out what’s missing yet?” Nick asked.

“So far nothing,” Greg said dropping his brush and giving himself a break. “Well, nothing valuable.”

Nick looked at him confused.

“The only painting missing so far is one from the local collection,” Warrick supplied.

“So what they stole a worthless painting?”

“Yeah,” Greg said flatly clearly not amused.

The situation would amuse him if he wasn’t the one wasting his time dusting one of a dozen doors, each touched a hundred times a day, in an effort to find the moron who stole a piece of junk.

“So who plans such an elaborate heist and doesn’t do all their homework?” Nick asked and he did sound amused.

“Are you going to help us are you just going to stand there asking stupid questions?” Warrick questioned with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“I’m just thinking.”

”Well work while you think,” Greg put in and then pointed across the room, “We haven’t gotten to that one.”

Nick didn’t argue with them, just smiled and shook his head as he took his case over to the new set of doors. They continued to work in silence for another twenty minutes until Nick saw that Greg had joined him obviously finished with the last.

“I need to talk to you.”

Nick looked over at Greg unsure if he’d heard him correctly. It hadn’t been much louder then a whisper and Greg was still looking at his door working at finding and lifting prints.

Before Nick could ask him what he’d meant Greg turned his head just slightly enough for Nick to get the idea. He wanted to talk to him about something and he didn’t want Warrick to know it.

Not sure what the secret was, Nick kept working and looking straight ahead before asking him ‘what’.

“I know someone here.”

”Are they a suspect?”

Greg took his time answering, apparently thinking it over.

“No. I don’t think so. This isn’t something she’d do.”

Nick nodded slightly.

“Does Grissom know?”

It was Greg’s turn to nod slightly and once more he checked over his shoulder at Warrick who still had his back to them both.

“If he didn’t take you off right away I don’t think there’s a problem.”

Greg let out a breath and nodded again. That’s what he thought too, he just needed to hear it from someone else.

“Who do you know here?” Nick asked out of curiosity.

“The curator.”

Nick couldn’t help but turn to him surprised.

“How?”

Before answering Greg cast one last look in Warrick’s direction and then towards the main doors.

“It’s Erika,” he said forgetting, no longer working or pretending too.

“Erika,” Nick repeated trying to place the name.

“From Berkeley.”

Nick’s eyes got big as the name clicked. Greg hadn’t told him all the details of that particular relationship but enough.

“What did she say? What did you say?”

”What was I supposed to say?” Greg asked back, his voice rising a bit. “I was lucky I got anything out. I haven’t seen her in years.”

”And she’s living here?”

”I guess,” Greg answered, finally moving back to his job of printing.

Nick looked back to his door as well, shaking his head.

“What are you going to do?” he asked after a minute or more of silence.

“Nothing,” Greg returned tightly causing Nick to drop the subject entirely.

And Greg was serious. As far as he was concerned there was nothing to do. Erika was trouble; he’d learned that lesson and did not need a refresher course.

This was one time when he didn’t need to fake indifference.


	3. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_I say it again, thanks[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[ **tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) and [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)_[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) for nicely pointing out my faults. ;)

**Chapter 4: Compromised**

Sara found it increasingly difficult to focus on her job.

She’d gone on with Grissom and Dr. Stewart documenting any changes found in the gallery and then eventually moving back up to the offices. They stopped by the video room first and found Kenny back on the job. He’d already copied the tapes and had the originals waiting for them, guessing that’s what they’d need. Sara took them into evidence.

“I want to thank you both for your help,” Dr. Stewart said, sitting down behind her desk.

“We’ll need a way to get in touch with you if we have any more questions,” Grissom said.

“Certainly,” she said taking out a business card for each of them, “this has my office and cell phone, I always have that with me. Please don’t hesitate to call.”

Sara took the card and looked at it, everything falling into place.

“Erika,” she said just under her breath, a tight smile on her face.

Dr. Stewart looked up expecting a question.

“Sorry,” Sara said trying to play it off, “I didn’t catch your name before.”

Sara momentarily locked eyes with her. Sara saw it there, the flicker of understanding. She knew that Sara knew exactly who she was. She knew that Sara knew exactly how well she knew Greg.

“I just changed it actually,” she said smoothly, “I was a Rosenbaum until my divorce last year.”

”Is that so,” Sara said still trying to fake ease.

Grissom looked first at Sara and then at Dr. Stewart uncertain exactly what was going on here but almost positive it had something to do with their run-in with Greg downstairs.

“Yes,” she returned almost brightly, still smiling. “It’s one of the reasons I moved here from San Francisco. Well, besides the job offer.”

Now Grissom was certain and knew he needed to act.

“Thank you again Dr. Stewart…”

”No,” she interrupted turning from Sara, “please call me Erika.”

”Well thank you again Erika,” he began again, “but we really need to get to work. Someone from the lab will be in contact with you.”

“And if I should need to contact you?”

Grissom took out his own card and passed it to her with a small smile.

“Thank you both again,” she said as they left, shutting the door behind them.

Sara practically raced down the hall. Grissom, unsure if he should ask or not, followed behind her.

She didn’t even notice his turmoil; she was too wrapped up in her own.

Sara wanted to either go back in there and slap that woman or go back down to the gallery and slap Greg.

She’d never run into one of Greg’s old girlfriends before and she honestly didn’t know how to act or what to feel. Okay, there was Gretchen but that didn’t really count. Gretchen and Greg didn’t have a relationship. Gretchen and Greg didn’t spend three years together. Greg hadn’t wanted to marry Gretchen. But he’d had that with Erika.

This was much more threatening, more aggravating. If she and Greg had still been together she might not have felt that way but now she did.

“Sara,” Grissom’s voice called her out of her reverie.

She looked at him questioningly.

“We’re this way,” he said indicating the left passageway instead of the right she’d begun to take.

“I was going to take these tapes to Archie.”

”I think we need to finish the gallery first.”

”But if we see the perp on these tapes we’ll know where we need to look for evidence.”

Grissom nodded and she was on her way. Sometimes it was easier not to fight Sara and he had a feeling she knew better then he did where she needed to be.

Who she needed to be away from.

****

It was well past the start of their normal shift when they returned to the lab. Grissom wanted them all in the main conference room for a review. Catherine had ended up being the last at the scene, so by default she had to make the dinner run.

It wasn’t long before the six of them sat down around the table for discussion.

“What do we know?” Grissom asked.

“According to the inventories,” Sara answered, “the only painting removed from the gallery was the ‘Adonis in Blue’ by Stephanie Winger a local artist.”

”Has she been notified?” Catherine asked.

“Brass called her,” Nick provided with a nod. “She, um, didn’t take it well.”

”Did we get any prints?”

Warrick and Greg both chuckled under their breath.

“Did we get any prints?” Greg echoed, “We probably have half of Vegas waiting in there for Jacqui to run.”

”Well,” Sara added, “it looks like on the tapes our guy came in and out the southeast entrance.”

”That will definitely narrow it down,” Warrick said with a nod.

“Okay,” Grissom said moving them along, “do we know how the alarm was tripped?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“I can keep watching the tapes,” Sara suggested.

“No,” Grissom said, “I want you and Nick to focus on that arsonist case. I’m putting Warrick and Greg on the heist; Catherine and I are going to work the bomb.”

Sara let out a sigh and looked down slightly shaking her head.

“Are you sure that’s the best arrangement?” she asked Grissom directly and Greg felt himself tense up.

“I think its fine,” he said evenly giving every indication that he was not going to change his mind.

Sara didn’t say anymore but Greg knew exactly what she’d meant. Everyone there, except Catherine, knew exactly what she’d meant.

Finished with dinner everyone cleaned up and was ready to get back to work.

“We need to talk,” Greg said to Sara as soon as he got the chance to do so relatively alone.

“I’ve got work to do,” she said back to him firmly shaking her head and starting to move away.

“No,” Greg said stepping in front of her, clearly determined. “We need to talk now.”

Sara looked up at him for a moment before stepping around him and out the door. He followed behind her not surprised to see she was heading to the roof. Once there she crossed her arms and turned around to face him.

“Okay talk,” she said flatly.

“Why are you trying to get me thrown off this case?”

“Because you shouldn’t be on it. You’re compromised.”

“Oh come on,” Greg said as he shook his head and looked away from her, “Just because I know someone from the scene…”

”Know?” Sara cut in sharply. “Know? Is that what you call it? Do you tell people you ‘knew’ me?”

”Sara…”

”No, you had a relationship with that woman. Think about that. Greg, if this goes to trial the defense team is going to dig into that. They’ll find out.”

Greg pursed his lips together.

“I’m not trying…” Sara started and then moved away from him shaking her head now as he’d done before. “Greg I’m not trying to be difficult or cause problems. I’m really not. I’m trying to help you.”

Greg nodded and took in her words.

“You are asking for trouble if you stay on this case.”

”Grissom knows…”

”He doesn’t know,” Sara cut him off once more, growing angry at his persistence. “He may suspect some level of involvement Greg, but he doesn’t know you had an affair with her.”

”So what? Are you saying I should go down there and give him the details?”

”No, I’m saying you should take yourself off of the case.”

Greg knew she had a point. A very good one. If Mitch Anderson had dug up the fact that he’d had some type of relationship with Erika, even if she didn’t tell him anything, a defense team trying to get someone out of jail wouldn’t stop until they knew it all.

And it wasn’t like their involvement had been a one-time thing. Greg had stayed with Erika for three years. Had stayed with her even after he found out she was married. A defense team could easily argue that Greg, willing to please her, had manufactured evidence to point to their client. It wouldn’t be true but all they’d need is one juror to buy it.

Greg was silent a long time before coming to a decision.

“I’ll ask Grissom to remove me.”

Sara nodded and continued to watch his movements, to watch him. She wanted him to know that she really was just trying to look out for him. That she didn’t want to see him hurt.

“Sara,” he finally said, “Next time just come to me. Don’t do that in front of everyone. I’m not…I know you’re not just…”

Greg turned away shaking his head. Not sure what he meant to say.

“I’m sorry I did that. I didn’t think you’d listen, that you’d just think…”

”Think what?” he asked when she didn’t finish.

“That you’d just think I was jealous,” she said with a near sigh.

Greg just stared at her, an odd light in his eyes.

“I’m not,” she said determinedly.

“I didn’t say you were.”

”Okay then,” she said moving away.

Greg walked just behind her, taking hold of the door before she could and keeping it shut.

“There’d be no reason,” he said, momentarily stopping her process, “To be jealous that is. I’m not interested in her.”

Sara said nothing, just looked back into his eyes and gave him a weak smile. That should have made her feel better but it just made her wonder whom he was interested in.

“It’s not my business Greg,” she said evenly.

He returned her smile but just barely as he opened the door, letting her leave first. Greg kept his head down as he followed behind her and again he tried to teach himself indifference. Sara obviously didn’t care, he thought for a moment there…but he’d been wrong.

She was worried about the case, not him.


	4. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Sorry to spam you all... got another chapter ready... thanks to[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[ **tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) and [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)_[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) again for helping me with this monster!

**Chapter 5: Unlikely**

“We have a problem.”

Grissom leaned against his desk and looked at Nick, Sara and Greg who were each standing before him.

“Greg,” he said with a slight nod in his way, “has asked me to remove him from the Bellagio case.”

No one said anything but it was only a surprise to Nick.

“Normally I would just have him assist on another case but this bomb scare has been pushed to our top priority and I can’t afford to lose the manpower.”

Nick nodded and knew where this was going.

“Sara, Nick,” Grissom said turning to them directly, “I need one of you to switch out with Greg.”

”I will,” Sara said before Nick got the chance.

“Wait a minute,” Nick argued turning to her, “Sara, you’re the primary on the arson case. You’ve done almost all the leg work.”

Sara said nothing to that just looked down.

“I want as little change as possible on this,” Grissom said firmly, “The Bellagio case is important but so is that arsonist.”

”Got it,” Sara said with a nod knowing she’d lost.

“Nick,” Grissom said turning to him, “are you okay with this?”

“Yeah,” he said honestly, “I’ll go find Warrick and catch up.”

“Good,” Grissom returned.

Nick left, knowing that his part of this meeting was done.

“Have a seat,” Grissom said to the remaining two.

Greg and Sara did as asked and Grissom sat down behind his desk as well.

“I have to know right now that you two can work together.”

Both Greg and Sara started to say something but he quickly silenced them both.

“Hear me out. Ecklie is going to know about this, I have to make him aware of any changes to case line-ups. He’s going to know and he’s going to be watching. Don’t give him a reason to write either of you up.”

They both nodded.

“Okay,” he said and they knew that meant that he was done.

Standing up, Greg caught the door for Sara, and they both made their way down the hall in silence.

“I guess we should start by catching you up,” Sara said, looking down the hall.

Greg nodded and tried not to feel as nervous about this as he suddenly did.

Sara led the way, stopping to pick up the case file, before they finally ended up in the small conference room.

Sara went over the case with him, detailed what they knew and what they didn’t. Let him in on all the evidence they had that linked the five fires together which truthfully wasn’t much.

They knew that the fires had all been started in empty buildings and that the person responsible had used kerosene to start them. The first two looked like crimes of opportunity, but the last three appeared to have been plotted and planned more carefully. In the remains of the latest they found newspaper articles about the crimes.

“So no prints, hair, nothing?” Greg asked looking up at her from across the table.

“None.”

Greg nodded and went back to looking over the files.

“Nick and I were going to go back out to the latest tonight,” Sara said after a pause.

“Okay,” Greg said getting to his feet.

Sara nodded this time and followed suit, walking just ahead of him down the hall to the locker room. Before leaving Sara mentioned the items she’d dropped off yesterday for Amy, so they detoured into the lab.

Amy, upon seeing them walk in together, did a double take.

“Hi,” she said uncertainly.

“Did you get anything off those bottles?” Sara asked.

“The glass bottle had nothing but trace amounts of liquid I sent to Dave that came back as kerosene. The soda bottle had some saliva around the lip, but I haven’t got a match to anyone.”

Sara nodded and took the reports. While she was looking at them Amy cast Greg a questioning glance to which he rolled his eyes in return. A gesture that clearly said if she wanted to know she’d have to ask. Amy glared back at him but quickly changed her expression as Sara was done and returning her gaze to Amy.

Before she had a chance to ask Sara told her.

“Greg and I are working these cases now so if you can’t reach me…”

”I’ll call Greg,” Amy finished with a nod and a smile.

“Right,” Sara said nodding herself but not smiling. “We should get going.”

Sara turned and left without another word and for a moment Greg lingered, shaking his head at the exchange. Amy once more gave him a questioning look, one of near concern, but he just threw up his hands and backed out of the room to follow Sara.

The ride to the scene was nearly silent. It would have been completely so if Sara hadn’t turned on the radio, something she rarely did on the job. Greg, knowing her quirks maybe better then he did his own, knew that she was only doing it now to relieve the pressure of talking. Because if he knew her quirks, she knew his, and Greg couldn’t stand silence. If there wasn’t some noise in the vehicle, he would have talked no matter how awkward the conversation. Greg wouldn’t have been able to stop himself.

They pulled up to the burnt out building and got out together walking under the crime scene tape still left in place.

Sara walked purposefully around the side of the building. A good two-thirds of it was destroyed, the roof partially caved in but the side she led Greg around too was still largely intact.

“Standard MO for our guy is to break a window, gain access, start the fire on the far side of the building giving him an easy way out the way he came and…” Sara stopped with a shrug. They didn’t have much more then that.

“Gives him time to stand back and watch,” Greg suggested.

“All arsonists like to watch,” Sara said with a small smile as she took out her flashlight and scanned the area. “It’s why they do it.”

”And here I thought they were just cold,” Greg said moving about the room now as well looking with his own flashlight.

The both worked silently, finding nothing, but each thinking at least that working together might not be as hard as they’d first thought.

“Can we see the others?” Greg asked.

“Two of them we can,” Sara said with a nod ready to go, “The first two buildings have already been demolished.”

Sara and Greg spent the majority of the night going over the scenes. When they got back to the lab they went their separate ways without a parting word, each going to see if they could help in other active cases.

Greg ran across Nick who was still sorting prints from the Bellagio in the layout room.

“How’s it going?” Greg asked.

“Not bad,” Nick said looking up and rubbing his eyes. “You?”

Greg shrugged. What was he supposed to say to that? Nick understood.

“You want to grab breakfast after shift?” Nick asked instead.

“Sure,” Greg returned looking down at the table.

“Shifts nearly over now,” Nick said looking at his watch, “Help me clean this up will you?”

Greg nodded and the two men had it all locked up in under fifteen minutes.

Amy was already in the locker room when they got there, just sitting on the bench in front of her locker.

“Hey sweetie,” Nick said putting a hand on the back of her neck and giving her a gentle squeeze, “you okay?”

”Just tired,” Amy answered with a yawn, not getting up. “I don’t know, I guess I’m not getting enough sleep.”

Greg couldn’t stop himself from chuckling into his locker causing them both to look his way.

“Sorry,” he said as he shut the door, “but you know, maybe if you two gave it a rest every now and then…”

”Greg,” they said in near unison.

“What? Am I right?”

Nick turned to his locker now to get his things as Amy continued to glare in Greg’s direction.

“Did you just want me to take you home?” Nick questioned after Amy still hadn’t gotten up. “Greg and I were talking about getting breakfast but…”

”No,” Amy said shaking her head, “breakfast sounds good.”

”Amy really,” Greg said shaking his head, “why don’t you two go home. I’m fine. I’ll see you both tonight at work.”

”How about dinner then?” Nick suggested.

”I appreciate it guys but really, I’m fine.”

”Okay,” Nick said. Greg said goodbye to them both.

Amy was finally on her feet taking her things from her locker.

“Is he okay?” Amy asked, knowing in part why Nick was suddenly so worried.

“He says he is,” Nick answered before turning his eyes to her, “Are you?”

”Really, I’m just tired.”

”Well I’ll take you home and let you sleep,” Nick said with a smile.

“That sounds good,” she returned as they moved towards the door together.

Nick and Amy’s living arrangements hadn’t changed much. Amy still had her own apartment but she really didn’t spend as much time there as she use to. Nick had been gently pressing her to move in with him but she’d resisted. In reality though, she already was. The majority of her things now resided at his townhouse, even her cat Baxter that Nick hated and only put up with because she loved the fur ball so much.

So when Nick had said he’d take her home only one place came to mind.

Despite the ride being a relatively short one, Amy nodded off in the jeep. Nick and Amy had driven in separately that night but he didn’t think she should be driving. He was right and got no argument.

Baxter met them both at the door but only rubbed up against Amy, as he always did. She didn’t stop and pet him like she normally did just dropped her things on the coffee table and headed off towards the bedroom.

Nick took a few minutes to check his answering machine and get the mail ready to send out before heading to the bedroom himself. Amy was already asleep, having just stripped down and stolen one of his t-shirts, not even bothering to get under the blankets. With little effort he shifted her around so that she wouldn’t get cold later, because she always did, covering her up before heading off to take a quick shower.

Nick wasn’t exactly tired yet but figured it was better to sleep now while Amy was than trying to later. He had a lot on his mind, mostly worry for his two friends. Nick hadn’t meant to further the problem by challenging Sara’s decision to be the one to leave the arson case, but it really was the right thing. She’d worked too hard to not see it through and sooner or later they were going to have to work together again.

Slipping under the blankets it didn’t take long for Amy to move towards him. Nick put his arms around her and pulled her close trying to relax.

It wasn’t long before he was asleep despite the thoughts that went through his head.

He was still holding out hope that they’d work through this but as each day passed it seemed less likely.


	5. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Look up in the sky... it's another damn chapter from that spammer! :) Thanks to my accomplices in crime[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)! I have nothing more to say except enjoy.

**Chapter 6: Encounters**

Greg came into work early that night, as he usually did nowadays, only to find that the lab was nearly alive with people.

“What’s going on?” Greg asked, ducking into the break room and surprised to find Jacqui sitting down flipping through a magazine.

“Didn’t they tell you?”

”Jacqui,” he said in a near sigh as he sat down with her, “you know they don’t tell me anything.”

”Come on,” she said standing up and putting down the magazine.

Greg gave her a curious look before following her out the door and down to the smallest conference room, which he was surprised to find locked. Jacqui opened it easily enough with the key and they both went inside.

“Wow,” was all Greg could say.

“It’s something isn’t it?” Jacqui returned with a nod.

Greg stepped closer and really took in the sight.

“Don’t touch it,” Jacqui intoned.

“I know that,” Greg said sounding offended, “I’m not an idiot. You don’t touch priceless art.”

Jacqui shrugged and joined him in front of the Monet.

“Why’s it here?” he asked.

“Because your co-workers think it’s evidence.”

Greg and Jacqui both turned at the new voice coming from the doorway.

Jacqui looked a bit nervous, she technically wasn’t supposed to be showing this off but Dr. Stewart didn’t seem angry. In fact she looked almost glad to see them there.

“Nick and Warrick saw on the video tape that the thief had touched this particular painting, tried to get it off the wall but couldn’t,” Jacqui supplied.

Greg nodded, but it didn’t make sense. The painting they had taken was relatively small; this one was just too big for a single person to carry out of a gallery and onto the street unnoticed.

“This is what triggered the alarms,” Greg guessed.

Erika smiled and nodded.

“We have all of our most famous pieces rigged. If you get too close a sensor detects it. First time is a warning sound, next is full blown alarms.”

”So they touched this and what, are you going to print it?” Greg asked in shock turning to Jacqui. Dusting the painting would ruin it.

“Not in the traditional way,” Jacqui said more for Dr. Stewart’s benefit then Greg’s, “I’m waiting on a low light scanner that I’ll be able to use that will allow me to capture the prints without causing any damage.”

“Dr. Grissom has told me you’re the best here,” she said in return to Jacqui.

Jacqui nodded and smiled and then said that she’d better see what the hold up was but not before handing the keys off to Greg to lock up when they were done.

Greg, unable to stop Jacqui, soon found himself right where he didn’t want to be: alone with Erika.

“Dr. Grissom told me you wouldn’t be working on the case,” she said stepping closer. “I was really sorry to hear that. I’d hoped we’d get the chance to talk more.”

”Well considering everything it wouldn’t be right for me to be on the case.”

”You mean considering us.”

”There is no us,” Greg said, shaking his head.

“Then why are you so concerned?” she asked with a smile.

“Erika…” Greg started and then didn’t know what else to say.

“I’m teasing you Greg,” she said with a laugh, “I understand why. I know how these things work. Besides, if you’d kept on I couldn’t ask you to have dinner with me.”

”I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

”Of course it’s not,” she said coming a little bit closer.

Greg took an involuntary step backwards just as the door came open.

“Warrick,” Greg a bit too brightly, “were you looking for me?”

”No,” he said before he’d caught on, “but Hodges was. Had some news about that arson case for you.”

”Thanks,” Greg said moving around the table and towards the door, purposely avoiding Erika. “You don’t mind showing Dr. Stewart out do you? Here are the keys for the door.”

After giving them both fairly weak goodbyes Greg practically bolted out the door and towards the break room. Fifteen minutes later Warrick joined him, shutting the door as he came in and sat down opposite him.

“What was that?” he asked, shaking his head with a smile.

“That was my worst freaking nightmare come to life,” Greg said as he buried his head into his hands.

“Normally I wouldn’t ask because your business is your business, but Greg I have to know. How do you know her?”

Greg looked up at him and decided the truth wouldn’t hurt. Everyone was going to be making their own assumptions, probably already were, especially considering Greg had asked to be removed from one of the biggest cases to come along in a while. Warrick wasn’t someone who would spread gossip and, as his friend, he could trust him with the information. Well, most of the information. He’d tell him what he’d told Nick. Only Sara had needed to know the whole story.

“Erika and I use to date. I met her when I was at college, she was an undergrad who taught my English classes.”

”How long did you guys go out?”

”Three years,” Greg answered with a shrug, “Give or take. We were kind of on and off.”

Warrick nodded and Greg saw the flicker of recognition behind his eyes.

“Didn’t we find a number for an Erika at Mitch Anderson’s place?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Greg returned with a nod.

“But it wasn’t Stewart,” Warrick said as he remembered more of it, “It was Rosenberg?”

”Rosenbaum,” Greg corrected. “She’d gotten married, Stewart is her maiden name.”

Warrick nodded and began to suspect things. Mitch Anderson had been digging up incriminating things on Greg at the time, specifically in regards to whom he’d been involved with.

“So now she’s divorced, moved to Vegas and what?” Warrick asked instead, not wanting to force information out of Greg. Especially information he didn’t really need.

“I don’t know,” Greg said shaking his head.

“So I take it you’re not interested in starting this whole thing back up,” Warrick returned.

“No, I’m not. That woman is pure evil.”

Warrick laughed and Greg hadn’t noticed at the time that the door had opened.

“That’s no way to talk about Sidle,” Hodges said from just behind him causing Greg to nearly jump.

“Well not surprisingly you’re wrong,” Greg said turning to him, “But you’re use to that, right Dave?”

Hodges gave him a glare but said no more.

Warrick, with one more laugh stood to go.

“We’ll talk later,” he said to Greg as he made his way out the door.

Greg said nothing as Hodges sat down in the spot Warrick had recently occupied.

“If you want my opinion you’re better off,” he said as he stirred sugar into his mug, “If this little break-up had taken place after you’d gotten married she’d of gotten half of everything you own.”

”Why would I want your opinion?” Greg asked with a look of confusion.

“I’m just saying,” Hodges said with a shrug. “But it’s not like you have much is it. Or that she’d want it. What is half an old t-shirt collection worth nowadays?”

”Don’t be jealous that you can’t pull off this look.”

”Jealous?” he asked in return, “How high did they up your dosage?”

”Not high enough to put up with you,” Greg said standing to go.

Greg made his way down the hall stopping in DNA only because he saw Amy.

“You know I think you’re the cause of all the excess overtime on this shift,” Greg said to her as he stepped inside.

“I know,” she said rolling her eyes, “but not for much longer.”

”Why’s that?” Greg asked sitting down at the desk.

Amy wheeled her chair over and leaned in.

“Now,” she said in a hushed voice, “this isn’t official yet so you can’t say anything.”

”Amy the only person I tell gossip to is you,” he said not getting why she was being so dodgy.

“Yeah well,” she said tilting her head from side to side, “You never know. Besides, this is such good news.”

”Did Ecklie quit?” Greg asked a bit louder then he should of, obviously excited.

“No,” Amy said, “but someone did.”

“Who?” Greg asked still not understanding her excitement.

“Thompsen,” she giggled. “Actually, he didn’t quit he’s finally, finally retiring. Do you know what this means?”

Greg didn’t get a chance to answer, Amy was already talking again, too excited to stop mid-story.

“This means that we can finally get someone decent on swing shift and I won’t have to cover for him anymore.”

Greg smiled with her, but his wasn’t one of excitement. He was amused. Amused that Amy thought it would be that easy. He’d spent months looking for his own replacement, her, it wasn’t like DNA tech’s grew on trees.

“Isn’t that great?” she asked, still whispering but so excited. He couldn’t burst her bubble. Not yet at least.

“That is great,” he said instead.

She smiled and moved away, getting back to work.

“Oh and I was hoping you’d help,” Amy said looking down as she did so.

“Help what?” he asked standing now and moving back to the counter top.

“Help me weed through the applicants,” she said looking up and raising her eyebrows expectantly, hopefully.

“Oh Amy,” he said shaking his head.

“Please,” she started, “Please. You have to. I’ve never done anything like this before and Ecklie dropped like eighty applications off on me.”

”I’ve only done it once Amy,” he said in return, not wanting to get involved in this.

“And look at how well that turned out,” she said with a smile he couldn’t help but match. “Please?”

“Alright,” he said finally, “I’ll help you narrow it down.”

”Thank you. Thank you so much.”

”Yeah well you owe me,” he said in return.

Amy just continued to smile at him and he shook his head.

“Here they are,” she said handing him an enormous stack. “I’ve already flagged the ones I think are qualified.”

Greg briefly flipped through it noticing more then half of them were ‘flagged’ with tiny pink post-it notes.

“I’ve graded those on a scale of one to one hundred,” she continued as he continued to shuffle the pages.

“I don’t think you need me,” he said shaking his head.

“Please?” she asked again.

“I’ll take a look at them now,” he said nodding, “before shift starts.”

“Thank you again Greg,” she said as he moved towards the door.

Greg smiled at her and said nothing more, kind of glad to have the project. It would help him keep his mind off of things. Things like working with Sara again tonight and how he’d be able to keep avoiding Erika.

This would work for now.


	6. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Thanks again[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) for your help! If you haven't noticed I've changed my journal again... when I can't think of what to write next, or I can't find any new icons to drool over or I just can't think of anything else to do... I change my journal. Anyway, enjoy.

**Chapter 7: Learn To**

Greg had gotten so caught up in wracking and stacking resumes he’d forgotten the staff meeting.

Sara had found him at nearly one in the morning still pouring through them, piles of resumes on the table in some order only Greg could understand. She looked in the window, saw him, shook her head and then opened the door.

“What are you doing?”

Greg turned his head and gave her an odd stare, as if it should be obvious.

“Greg,” she continued to ignore his stare, “Time.”

His brow furrowed momentarily before he turned completely around to see the clock behind him.

“Shit,” he said standing and pulling the papers together.

“Don’t bother,” she said coming inside and helping him stack the resumes, “Nick covered for you.”

Greg nodded feeling a little more at ease but still clearing the mess. It was well past time to start work.

“What is all this?” Sara asked looking one over.

“It’s nothing,” Greg said taking it and the others from her hands, “Research.”

She gave him one odd look he didn’t catch before backing up.

“They look like resumes,” she continued, knowing full well she shouldn’t.

“Well I’m researching resumes,” he said absently before returning them to their original folder.

Sara wrinkled her nose, not liking the sound of that, but said nothing more. It wasn’t her business. It didn’t concern her.

“What are we doing tonight?” he asked.

“Since Warrick and Nick are working with Jacqui to print that painting,” Sara started, “You and I are taking a double in Boulder City.”

”All the way out there?”

”Still Clark County,” she answered, “and they requested the crime lab.”

Greg nodded and said nothing more.

“I’ve already got us a car,” she continued.

”Then I’ll meet you in the garage.”

Sara nodded and said no more, but for a moment neither of them moved. They just stood there, awkwardly, without any real reason to be. Greg knew what it was. It was two days now of semi-normal conversation. Ones that weren’t stilted or halting or just mean. It felt so normal and so abnormal but mostly it was just confusing.

And the last time they’d had a semi-normal conversation, two weeks and two nights ago, they’d ended up in bed.

They’d gone separately, of course, to the party Amy had thrown for Nick’s birthday. It wasn’t on his birthday, it was actually about half a week before, but it was on the only Friday that the majority of shift somehow got off. It was actually the first time in nearly six months that Greg, Sara, Nick and Amy had all gotten off and the last time they had they’d made a point to go out together. Of course, six months ago things had been a lot different.

After things had wound down, Greg made a discrete exit only to find Sara out by her car nearly fuming. He’d seen what was wrong immediately; she had a flat so he offered to help her fix it. Sara had politely refused but he’d persisted, even if Nick’s place was in a good neighborhood it was too late for anyone to be out alone and knowing Sara she’d either try to do it herself and or walk home out of spite.

That’s when she admitted she didn’t have a spare.

So Greg did the only decent thing to do, he offered to drive her home. It was a big mistake. He should have walked back with her to Nick’s house and either called her a taxi or asked one of them to do it. But he hadn’t. He’d given her a ride there himself, actually his first time to her new apartment, and they’d sat awkwardly in the car then just as they stood awkwardly in the conference room now.

“I should go get my case,” Greg finally said without moving.

“Yeah,” Sara said quickly, shaking her head, “I’ll meet you out front.”

Sara paused briefly before turning and walking out, rather quickly.

Greg let out a breath and shook his head to clear it. He didn’t need to be thinking like this. It was a mistake then, it would be a mistake now. Nothing had changed. Sara would never trust him enough to really let him into her life and Greg just couldn’t take that.

Heading first to Amy’s lab to drop off the resumes and give her a brief run down on his notes, he nearly ran to the locker room to grab his case so as not to keep Sara waiting long.

On his way out through the lobby Greg just heard Gretchen call his name. Stopping, if only because it would be rude not too, he turned and headed back to the receptionist desk.

“That woman who was here earlier asked me to give you this,” Gretchen said handing him a note taped shut.

“What woman?” Greg asked turning it over in his hands.

“From the museum,” she said curtly. The only reason she’d agreed was because she assumed it was related to the case. Well that and technically it was her job.

“Thanks,” Greg muttered walking across the lobby as he broke the seal and beginning to skim whatever it was Erika had to say.

Sara was right there at the curb, SUV running and looking slightly impatient.

“Sorry,” he said getting in after putting his case in the back and hastily shoving the note into his pocket.

She said nothing to it, just pulled away as he buckled in.

The drive was long and this time Sara didn’t bother with the radio, instead opting for the police scanner. Halfway there they got a call from Grissom telling them to get back to the lab. Another twenty minutes after that as they neared their exit for the lab, they got another call telling them to go back.

Greg, biting his lip with face turned to the window, just tried not to laugh. He knew Sara was seething and he couldn’t help it. Greg could only imagine that there was some kind of struggle between the police departments, coroners even, that they just happened to be caught in the middle of. It was the kind of thing that Sara had no humor about, but Greg found wildly entertaining.

Sure enough, she’d begun to mutter quietly under her breath as they once more neared Boulder City.

Finally reaching their destination, the night more than half over, they got out and met the local sheriff at the door to the house.

“Didn’t anyone call you?” he asked immediately and Sara positively glared. “We’ve got our own guys looking over this.”

Sara turned back around without a word leaving Greg to fumble momentarily with what to say before giving up at the sound of the engine revving loudly behind him. Getting back to the SUV in a hurry, not even getting the door shut before she was pulling away, Greg couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping him.

“This isn’t funny,” Sara said staring straight ahead down the road, going way too fast for the neighborhood.

“Neither is vehicular homicide.”

Sara looked at him, saw his smile and shook here head as she simultaneously eased off the gas. For a long time they drove in silence. Greg deciding to give her the time she needed to cool off, Sara gladly taking it.

“I just can’t believe we’ve wasted the night like this,” she finally said as they neared the lab. The sun was almost coming up.

”Could be worse,” Greg said with a shrug.

“How?”

”Well,” Greg said stretching out, “floaters are bad. We could have got called to a floater.”

Sara rolled her eyes and even though he knew better he continued.

“Or a week old corpse.”

He saw the corners of her mouth twitch, knew she was close to smiling and couldn’t stop himself.

“Week old floating corpse?” he questioned eyebrow raised, just looking at her out of the corner of his eyes.

And she laughed.

“You’ve never seen a week old floating corpse.”

”You don’t know that,” Greg said teasingly without thinking.

“I think I do,” Sara returned still smiling as she parked in the garage.

Greg and Sara sat nearly facing each other and both felt the mood change. And this wasn’t just a semi-normal conversation. This was them talking like they use to. Acting like they use to. And it was so appealing.

He wasn’t even aware of it until it was gone. Shattered by the bang of the nearby door slamming shut.

They’d both been moving towards each other without realizing it until then.

At the noise they’d quickly moved apart.

“I’ve…I’d better go clock out,” Greg said hurriedly undoing his seatbelt and stepping out of the SUV. Gone.

Sara sat for another minute, not believing what had almost happened. Touching her fingers to her lips she sat trying to push it down. Enjoying the odd flutter it excited in her stomach and instinctively knowing it was wrong. Greg and she weren’t going to work. They weren’t going to happen again. He’d made that very clear.

As she shut off the engine she looked over and saw something in the seat he’d just occupied.

Sara picked up the paper and turned it over once.

On the outside in a distinctly feminine hand was his name.

She hesitated only for a second. She knew it wasn’t hers. Knew it wasn’t her business. Knew who she thought had written it and what it might say. But she didn’t know until she opened and read it for herself.

Instant regret.

Of course it was from Erika. Who else could it have been from? A single sentence and seven numbers. All it said was ‘call me about dinner’ with her name and number. That was it. But that was all it took to really hurt.

Greg was carrying it. She knew what that meant. He wouldn’t have kept it if it hadn’t of meant something, if he hadn’t wanted to call her and see her again. Even after he told her just last night that he wasn’t interested.

Sara got out of the SUV, moving without thinking.

She got her case, locked the vehicle and headed back inside note still clutched in her hand.

Sara stopped at the door and crumpled the note in her free hand, dropping it at her feet.

This was it. This was real. It was over now, it had to be.

He was moving on, she’d have to learn to.


	7. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Whew! Thanks again[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) for your valuable input, corrections and advice! Love it, need it, crave it! Thanks again! And now, the big show... 

**Chapter 8: One Step Forward**

Greg hadn’t been home three hours when his phone went off, startling him from his sleep.

Groggy still, rubbing his eyes and feeling a strong sense of déjà vu, he reached out and opened it up, speaking his name into it with a yawn.

“Get to the lab, we’ve got a call. Possibly our arsonist.”

”Sara?” he asked not really awake yet. “What? What was that?”

He heard her sigh as he sat up on the couch and shook his head to clear the cobwebs.

“Just get to the lab okay?”

”Yeah,” he returned through another yawn, “Yeah, alright. Give me half an hour.”

”Twenty minutes,” she corrected before hanging up.

Greg stared at his phone in disbelief. That was strange. Last night they’d almost been friendly and now she was snapping at him. He knew from experience she wasn’t exactly a morning person but still.

Okay so maybe they’d been too friendly and she was just trying to re-distance herself again. That he could believe. It probably was a good thing; he had to see it that way.

Standing and stopping immediately, his vision swam.

That wasn’t good.

Slowly making his way to the bedroom Greg went straight for the bathroom and turned the shower on nearly full cold. Stripping down and jumping in before he lost his nerve, it did the trick. He was definitely awake now.

Greg washed quickly and was out again, only bothering to dry his body, not his hair. Instead he just ran his hands through it a few times and sighed. He was already going to be later then twenty minutes, if he showed up with hair spiked Sara might kill him.

He dressed quickly, glad he’d set something out beforehand as he’d grown accustomed to thanks to Warrick’s advice, and headed out the door. Traffic was a nightmare and he ended up being forty-five minutes instead of the thirty he’d guessed and the twenty Sara had demanded.

Greg found her in the break room and before he could apologize she stood up and walked out. Shaking his head he followed her to the garage and got in on the passengers side without saying a word.

“Ecklie called,” she said as they drove off, “Twice.”

“Traffic was bad,” he offered up knowing she didn’t care for excuses of any kind.

Sara said nothing and they were at the scene in twenty minutes.

“It’s about time,” Ecklie said as he approached them both, smug smile firmly planted on his face.

“What have we got?” Sara asked in her best ‘I don’t hate you’ voice.

“Electrical fire,” Ecklie said evenly.

“Our arson’s have all been started with kerosene,” Sara returned not getting it.

“Yeah well,” Ecklie said still smiling, “It presented as arson at first but the fire chief just ruled in accidental.”

”Okay,” Sara said with just barely contained anger.

“Guess we didn’t need you after all,” he continued.

Sara smiled tightly and turned round, Greg right behind her. He’d expected something like this. Well, not exactly like this, getting called in when you weren’t needed was just bad, but he’d expected Ecklie to start nosing around their scenes. Watching how they interacted. This almost seemed like a provocation. Ecklie was trying to get under one or both of their skins. So far he was succeeding.

“Well,” Greg said trying to lighten the mood, “We’re still on company time, want to grab lunch?”

”No,” Sara said without looking his way and with no more explanation.

Greg nodded his head, looked out the window, and realized that too was probably best. He’d really struggled with it lately. He wanted to be on better terms with Sara, especially now that they were working together, but every time that had started to happen they either started to fight again or let things get out of hand in other ways. It was hard to find the middle ground.

“We’ve got to do something about this,” he said before he could stop himself.

Sara turned to him slightly but kept her attention mainly on the road.

“About what?”

”Sara,” he sighed, “this. Whatever this is. Now. Last night. I can’t keep bouncing between two extremes. We need to talk.”

”Now you want to talk?” she questioned sharply. “It’s been four months and now you want to talk?”

”Well we spent a year and a half not talking,” he returned just as bitter, “four months seems like a drop in the bucket.”

Sara pulled into the nearest parking lot and stopped the vehicle before turning to him in disbelief.

“What do you want from me?” she asked. “You don’t want to be together but you have no problem sleeping with me. You don’t want to talk to me but you want us to be friends. What is it? What is this?”

Greg fumbled for words, for coherent thought. Sara had never been so direct with him before. Actually, no one had ever been so direct with him before.

“I don’t know,” he admitted freely. “It’s hard, okay? It’s not like we can just make this all go away. I was really angry then Sara, I still am a little. But it’s not like I could just stop…I couldn’t just…”

Greg pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. Sara looked out her window and tried to push down her own feelings. It sounded like he was going to say he still loved her and she couldn’t hear that. Not now. Not after what she’d read last night.

“I never meant to keep things from you,” she said quietly.

“It’s not important now,” he said equaling her tone.

“Yeah,” she said a bit louder now, staring ahead straight ahead as she gripped the steering wheel, “You’ve moved on.”

Greg looked at her uncertainly. He didn’t mean it the way she’d took it.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he questioned, louder now.

“It means that I along with half the lab know about your little dinner date with Erika.”

”What...” he started to ask and then immediately changed tactics, “How’s that?”

”I saw the note.”

Greg, wearing the same jacket he’d had on last night, reached into his pockets and found them empty, before shaking his head and rubbing his palms across his eyes.

“I do not believe this.”

”I know I shouldn’t have…”

”No,” he cut in harshly, “You shouldn’t have. Period. There’s no excuse for that.”

”Well you’re the one telling everyone about it.”

”Me?”

”Yeah well,” she came back, “even if I hadn’t I was told half a dozen times by every lab tech and analyst in the place.”

Greg just gaped at her.

“And you believe the crap that flies around that lab?”

“Normally no, but you’re really going to deny that she didn’t ask?”

”I don’t have to deny anything.”

”Fine,” she said nodding her head.

“Don’t play righteous with me,” he said getting really mad now, “You read my private notes and then accuse me of what? Having a life? Trying to mess with your head? What? I’m not the only one to blame here. You avoided me too. And it wasn’t like I got you drunk and took advantage of you those nights either.”

“You told me you weren’t interested in her,” she said louder now. They were both seconds away from flat out yelling which was frightening.

“You know what,” Greg said undoing his seatbelt and opening the door, “I’m not doing this. I’m not having this conversation with you.”

Greg had already retrieved his case and was walking away before Sara could react.

Driving up next to him with the window down she paced him as he made his way across the parking lot.

“Do you really plan on walking back to the lab?” she asked.

He said nothing, just kept going.

”Its fourteen miles Greg. Just get back in.”

”No.”

”Be reasonable,” she said shaking her head before finally pulling slightly ahead and cutting him off. “Get in.”

”Sara I’m not…” Greg stopped talking at the sound of a siren going off once and then stopping.

“Is there a problem here?” asked a voice from behind.

Greg looked at Sara who had turned away briefly before wheeling around himself to the police car he knew he’d find. And of course he knew the cops inside, life was like that sometimes.

“Eric,” he said nodding and smiling as best he could, “Stan. We’re fine. Just having a slight disagreement.”

”Yeah,” Sara said echoing his sentiment and smile.

“Okay then,” Officer Jensen said clearly not believing it but not pressing the matter either. “You should probably get moving though.”

”Okay,” Greg said smiling and giving them a wave as he walked back to the passenger’s side and got back in.

“Bye,” Sara said, fake smile still in place as they drove off.

For three blocks they were silent until Greg finally let out a sharp laugh, unable to contain it any longer.

“That was embarrassing,” he said looking down and shaking his head.

“Yeah,” Sara agreed and to his great surprise she was actually smiling now. A real smile.

“I hate fighting with you Sara.”

”I hate fighting with you.”

Greg nodded and took it in.

“You shouldn’t have read that note.”

It was Sara’s turn to nod now.

“I know. I’m sorry. I just…Greg it’s hard for me too. You’re right; you can’t just turn it off.”

Greg smiled now, still looking down.

“So what do we do?” he asked finally looking at her.

“I guess that depends.”

”On?”

“On,” she answered still watching the road, “what you want to do.”

Greg looked down the street now himself, considering it. Really considering it for a minute or two before giving her an answer.

“Let’s have lunch,” he finally said.

Sara looked at him briefly and gave a short nod.

“Okay.”

_I think it’s getting to the point_  
Where I can be myself again  
I think it’s getting to the point  
Where we have almost made amends  
I think it’s the getting to the point  
That is the hardest part. 

_**‘Call and Answer’ by the Barenaked Ladies** _

Chapter 9: To the Point

Nick and Warrick had to do a double take.

They’d just come back from interviewing Stephanie Winger, the woman whose painting was stolen, and decided to stop and grab a bite to eat at the diner down the street from the lab.

In the back corner sat Sara and Greg. Alone. Talking. Seemingly enjoying themselves.

Before either of them could decide if they should approach the table or just pretend they hadn’t seen anything, Greg spotted them. He said something to Sara who turned around, smiled, and waved them over.

Warrick and Nick looked at each other once before heading to them.

“Are they back together?” Warrick asked under his breath.

“News to me,” Nick answered in the same manner.

Greg and Sara both smiled at them when they finally arrived.

“Hey guys, have a seat,” Greg said making room on his side of the booth, Sara doing the same. “The waitress just took our orders but she should be back.”

“Ecklie call you in too?” Sara asked Warrick who had sat down next to her.

“No,” he answered, “Brass. We interviewed a suspect in the painting heist.”

”Already?” Greg asked surprised.

“Well,” Nick said shaking his head, “Potential suspect. We got to find something linking her to the scene but right now it looks like Stephanie Winger stole her own art.”

“You’re kidding,” Sara said with a smile.

“No,” Warrick said feeling a bit more at ease. He hadn’t been comfortable around Greg and Sara together in while; it was a nice change. “Seems like since her painting was stolen, sales have gone through the roof.”

”But nothing solid yet,” Nick added, “We’re getting a warrant to compel fingerprints. Grissom lifted two on the makeshift bomb. Video surveillance shows a woman dropped it off, so it may be her.”

”What about in the gallery?” Greg questioned.

“A man,” Warrick confirmed, “So she had help. We get her prints and she’ll roll on her accomplice.”

”How’s that arson case going?” Nick asked now.

“Not bad,” Greg said, “Nothing new.”

”Ecklie called us in for an electrical fire today as some kind of sick joke,” Sara added. “But we haven’t gotten anything new.”

The waitress came back and took Warrick and Nick’s orders and soon they all had their meals. The conversation shifted from work to more general topics like books, movies and sports. It had been a long time since the four of them had sat down and talked like this, without reserve or tension.

Nick was the first to leave. Amy still wasn’t feeling well and he didn’t want to be gone from her long. Greg expressed concern at this but Nick told him she was alright, just a little under the weather. However, he doubted she’d be in that night. Amy was thinking she’d caught the flu and a full nights rest might just be the thing needed.

Warrick excused himself next. He had to get some sleep before coming back in that night. That and really hoping Greg and Sara might be reconciling, he thought it best to leave them alone.

Greg smiled at Sara once they were alone.

“That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I suggested lunch.”

”I kind of figured,” Sara answered smiling and looking down at the table.

“So,” he started lamely, “how do we do this?”

”Well,” Sara said sitting back, “this wasn’t a bad start. We got through a meal together.”

”Yeah thanks to Nick and Warrick.”

Sara shrugged. It was true. They hadn’t even had a chance to talk when they’d arrived. And now that they were gone, the tension was back.

“Still,” she finished.

“What do you want?” Greg asked, deciding on the direct approach. “What do you want to happen here?”

”I don’t think that’s my decision to make.”

Greg nodded and understood. He’d called things off; he’d have to decide the terms, if there were terms. It was just all so confusing.

“Sara,” he started, “I miss you. I really do but I don’t know…I don’t know if I could do it again.”

She nodded and said nothing.

“I know we both were to blame. That I should have tried harder…”

Greg stopped and took in a shaky breath, running a hand across his forehead and looking out the window.

“No,” Sara said firmly, not able to look at him either, “This was my fault. I wasn’t honest with you. I should have told you before, told you at least when you asked. I’m sorry.”

“No,” Greg said this time, “It’s not… I understand why you couldn’t alright? I didn’t always, but I do now. At least better then before. I don’t think that’s what really got to me. I don’t think that was the real problem.”

They were briefly interrupted by the waitress asking them if they’d like refills. Sara nodded politely and by the time she’d turned her eyes back to the table Greg had taken hold of her hand.

“What was then?” Sara asked softly, not able to look away from the sight of his fingers intertwined with hers.

“I was jealous,” he answered just as softly, a blush creeping across his face, “I am jealous.”

“Jealous?” she returned in disbelief, looking up to his face, to his eyes. “Why? I don’t…”

They locked eyes momentarily and it dawned on her what he meant, who he meant.

“Of Grissom?” she asked leaning in.

“Who else?” he shot back because it should be obvious.

“I told you that nothing happened,” she said feeling her anger rise within, “We’ve been over this.”

”I know what you said but what am I supposed to think? What would you think if someone I said I didn’t have a relationship with knew more about me then you did?”

”That’s not the point,” Sara said, recoiling in her seat and from his touch.

“It is,” Greg countered, moving back now himself, “I had to keep hearing from him these things I should have heard from you. Why is it that he knows so much?”

Sara faltered but only momentarily.

“I’ll admit that there was a time when he was who I wanted. I’ve known him longer then I have you Greg. When I told him about what happened when I was growing up it wasn’t because I was interested in him. That I still wanted him. I had you. You were…”

“I want to believe you.”

”Then believe me,” she said but without pleading.

“I don’t know if this was such a good idea,” Greg said with a nervous laugh. “Maybe I should just go.”

”No,” she said catching his hand again before he could remove it from the table, “Greg, please. You were right. We need to work this out. I don’t know if we can ever…that it… I want us to at least be friends again.”

“Sara,” he said gently squeezing her hand, “I don’t think I can just be friends with you. Not after all this.”

Sara shut her eyes tightly, not wanting to believe it. She’d been preaching indifference but without wanting to hear what was said. She’d known that the damage, no matter who was to blame, was extensive. That this was the only outcome but it was the first time it had sunk in.

“But I’ll try.”

Sara opened her eyes not sure he’d actually spoken.

“You’re too important to me to just give up on,” he continued looking her in the eyes. “This is too important. I can’t promise you anything. I can’t even promise that we can stay friends, but I can try. That I can promise.”

Sara nodded and blinked back the tears that had begun to threaten her eyes.

He was right: it was a start.

****

Nick had driven home and had expected to find Amy sleeping. Instead he found her on the couch in front of the television staring blankly at the screen.

He came over and sat down beside her and she rested her head on his shoulder.

“I love this movie.”

“Amy,” he questioned, “are you okay?”

“I’m feeling better,” she said with a sigh. “Whatever it was I think it’s finally passing.”

Nick nodded and slid down further into the couch. As he did Amy leaned on him further, nestling down into his arms. He absentmindedly began to run his hand through her hair which was rarely down like she had it now.

“What is this?” he asked after watching for a few minutes in silence.

“Pride and Prejudice.”

”Good,” Nick said with a short nod, “I needed to get some sleep.”

Amy turned her face to him and caught his smile before lightly tapping him on the chest.

“You never like my movies.”

”That’s because I watch movies for entertainment, as an escape. You watch them for…”

”The storylines?” she questioned with an arched smile.

Nick laughed and shrugged his shoulders before squeezing her gently.

“You really feeling better?” he asked after another pause.

“Yeah,” she said with a nod. “I was thinking we could get a late dinner before we went in to work.”

Nick nodded and rested his head on hers. Content for the time being to watch her movie.

“So how long is this?” he asked after half an hour of rolling English countryside and women talking about men they pretended not to be interested in.

“Five hours.”

”No seriously,” Nick said with a laugh.

Amy just tilted her head up and gave him a look that said she was serious.

“Five hours?”

”Yeah,” she said looking back at the screen.

Nick sighed and settled back in beside her.

It looked like he was going to get that nap after all.

**Chapter 10: Girl Talk**

It was probably the best Sara had felt in a long time.

She went into work that night, if not really elated, as close as was possible given the circumstances. Greg wasn’t just willing to try, he wanted to and that meant more to her then she thought it could. She was even smiling at techs and earning odd looks of suspicion in return.

She couldn’t help it though.

Coming into the break room she immediately saw Amy and it was the first frown she’d worn in hours.

“I thought Nick said you were calling in sick,” she asked putting her snack into the fridge.

“I should have,” Amy said with her head resting in her hands, bent over on the couch. “I don’t know what hit me. I was fine all day, through dinner and about twenty minutes ago it just hit me.”

Sara saw how pale she’d gotten and was concerned.

“Where’s Nick?” she asked.

“He and Warrick got called out.”

Sara put her hand on the back of her neck.

“You don’t have a fever.”

”I know,” Amy groaned, “I think it might be what I ate. We went out to dinner and I had fish and…”

She looked up sharply at Sara and literally turned green.

“Go,” Sara said, helping her to her feet and following Amy as she ran down the hall.

Sara got there just after she did and missed her getting sick in the nearest available toilet.

“Oh God,” Amy said obviously still feeling bad.

Sara went to the sink and wet several paper towels before joining her just outside the stall.

“I think you should go home.”

Amy, still a bit unsteady, got to her feet and leaned into the wall and nodded her agreement.

“Nick didn’t have the fish did he?”

”No,” Amy answered taking the offered paper towels and wiping her face.

She was still too afraid of being sick again to move very far from the toilet.

“I don’t think I’ll ever eat again,” Amy said after flushing the contents, making Sara chuckle.

“But this has been going on for few days’ right?” Sara asked, “Could it be the flu?”

”I don’t know what it is,” Amy admitted.

“Maybe you’re pregnant.”

Amy and Sara both turned at the sound of a new voice joining their conversation.

“Jacqui?” Sara questioned, peering out and around the stall.

The toilet two stalls down flushed and Jacqui stepped out moments later, walking to the sink to wash her hands.

“Why would you say that?” Amy asked, moving out around Sara and sounding shocked.

“Because sweetie, you’ve been throwing up every night for a week.”

”Really?” Sara questioned turning to her now.

“It’s the flu,” Amy said firmly.

“Or morning sickness,” Jacqui returned.

“It’s eleven o’clock at night,” Amy tried.

“I thought I read you can get morning sickness at any time,” Sara added.

“Who has morning sickness?” came a fourth voice from the door, Catherine.

“Oh God,” Amy said, turning around and stepping back into the stall in an effort to hide.

“Amy does,” Jacqui answered.

“Shut up,” Amy said loudly, “I do not. I have the flu.”

”Tired, nauseous, mood swings?” Catherine questioned, leaning against the sink near Jacqui.

“I don’t have mood swings,” Amy said, shaking her head. “Besides, we’re careful. It’s not like…”

Jacqui and Catherine were laughing now, causing her to stop.

“I got pregnant with Lindsey being ‘careful’,” Catherine said still chuckling.

“Nothing’s one hundred percent but well, you know,” Jacqui said, smiling as well. “And we pretty much know that, well, you know.”

Sara was trying not to smile as she looked down, knowing without looking that Amy was beet red by now.

The door swung open again and the four of them grew quiet.

Gretchen.

She gave them all odd looks as if to question why they’d all be standing around in the ladies room before going to the mirror and fixing her hair. She did that at least four times a night.

Once she was done she turned back around and stood there, leaning back like Catherine and Jacqui were and looking at Sara. Amy had shut the door on her stall when she’d heard the main door open.

“What’s going on?” she asked as casually as she could.

“Nothing,” Jacqui said, turning back around and washing her hands again.

Catherine shook her head ‘no’ as well. Sara just looked away.

“Oh,” Gretchen said, pushing off of the sink and moving towards the door, “I see. I thought you were talking about Sanders’ new girlfriend but I guess I was wrong.”

Sara fixed her with a glare that most people found intimidating but Gretchen didn’t seem to mind.

“Greg doesn’t have a new girlfriend,” she said firmly.

“Sure he does,” Gretchen said nonchalantly, “He’s talking with her now in Grissom’s office. Alone. I saw him sign her in. That doctor from the gallery right? Tall, blond, typical. Men are dogs and he’s no exception.”

”Alright ladies,” Catherine said stepping between them as Sara had begun to step forward. “I think that’s enough chit-chat before shift. We all have work to do.”

Gretchen shrugged and was gone.

“You okay?” Catherine asked Sara directly.

“Yeah,” she answered shaking her head. “I’m just…”

Sara turned away in time to see Amy swing the stall door back open.

Nick had told Amy about Sara and Greg’s lunch that day. They’d both had hopes that things were working out between them.

Looking at Sara now it was easy to see how much Sara still cared. Amy saw the emotion on her face, how close it was to the surface and did what she did naturally. She went over and hugged her.

Sara was only momentarily surprised, laughed and cried at once but only briefly.

“See,” Amy said over her shoulder at the other two women, “This is a mood swing.”

All four of them laughed and the mood was effectively lightened.

Sara moved away from Amy, honestly not use to other people caring so much, and gave her a weak smile.

“Alright,” Jacqui said patting Sara on the back, “I’ve got fingerprints to run. Amy take it easy. Sara, chin up. See you ladies later.”

Catherine turned to them now, still concerned.

“Are you really okay?” she asked Sara again.

This time she just nodded and Catherine took it for what it was, smiling and moving away. She said goodbye to them both with some parting words in jest to Amy about folic acid.

Sara moved to the sink and washed her face. Amy did the same, rinsing her mouth as well.

“Gretchen is full of it,” Amy said, leaning over the sink once more, a wave nausea sweeping back over her.

“I know,” Sara said with an easy nod.

“I should get to work or home,” Amy said moving uneasily back and forth.

“Are you going to take a test?” Sara questioned.

Amy shook her head, not as a negative but in sheer disbelief.

“I don’t know,” Amy finally said, “I mean…”

”Is it…I mean, you’re not late are you?”

Amy stopped and gave her an odd smile.

”Are you?” Sara repeated in shock.

“Two weeks,” Amy answered, “but it could be stress right? Or if I am sick…”

Amy trailed off knowing where it was heading too.

“What am I going to do?” she asked herself out loud.

“Find out first,” Sara advised. “Talk to Nick. It’ll be fine.”

”Don’t tell anyone about me being late, okay?” Amy pleaded, “I know Jacqui and Cath were teasing and they won’t say anything but if they knew that, they might talk more freely and…”

”Don’t worry,” Sara said evenly. “I won’t. But let me know how it turns out. If you need any help.”

”Thanks,” Amy said nodding.

“I’ve got to get to the staff meeting,” Sara said, taking a deep breath. “Should I let Nick know you need a ride or…”

”No,” Amy answered, “I think I’m better now. I’ll be okay. Thanks.”

Sara smiled and they both headed out the door together. They parted at the break room as Amy moved on to the lab. Sara was surprised to see she was the only one there.

“Sara,” Warrick called from the door.

She looked up and held up her hands questioningly.

“We’re in Grissom’s office tonight.”

Sara nodded and knew they wouldn’t be alone.

Preparing herself for it, actually glad for once Gretchen had run her mouth, Sara followed Warrick down the hall.

She was ready.


	8. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Thank you again[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)!

**Chapter 11: Covet**

It had been the worst kind of luck.

Erika just happened to be walking up to the crime lab at the same time as Greg. And it had been an accident, that he knew. If he didn’t know Erika as well as he did he would probably think she was stalking him, but that wasn’t her style. Erika didn’t stalk men. She made men stalk her.

As he walked up to her Greg gave her a tight-lipped smile, trying to be polite.

“Here for the painting?” he asked as he held open the door.

“I’m just checking on it actually,” she answered with a smile of her own, “I’ve also come to get an update on your progress.”

Greg nodded and stopped with her at the desk. He might as well sign her in since he was here. People would talk more if he didn’t then if he did.

“Gretchen,” he said, wishing this would somehow get easier. “Dr. Stewart needs a visitors pass.”

Gretchen didn’t even bother to hide her contempt. She, like Sara, had heard all the rumors. Actually Gretchen had started most of them when Dr. Stewart had left that note the other night, which she had of course read.

Greg just signed her in and walked with her back to the main part of the building.

“Old girlfriend?” Erika asked.

“No, actually. She just hates me.”

”I didn’t think so,” she said with a smile, “She’s not your type. You always liked your women a little more academic.”

”Well, I’m not saying Gretchen is a rocket scientist,” Greg said with a real smile this time, one he couldn’t help, “but even if she was I wouldn’t date her.”

”But she is strong willed,” Erika added as they continued down the hall, “You always liked that.”

”Did you get your psychiatrist license too?” he said stopping and turning towards her, serious now. She was messing with him and he didn’t like it. Erika was angling for something, he just didn’t know what.

“No,” she said with a nod, “but I heard you were seeing one. Are you still?”

”That’s not your business,” Greg said moving on now.

“I’m not trying to offend you,” Erika said catching up in three quick strides, “I was concerned. Worried. That reporter from the Sun told me about it. Asked if you’d seen one before when I knew you.”

”What did you say?” he asked, stopping once more.

“Nothing,” Erika said easily, “I don’t kiss and tell, Greg. You know that.”

”So he didn’t know we were…”

”No,” she finished, “I think he suspected but he had nothing to prove it.”

”What did you tell him then?”

”That I was your tutor.”

Greg bit his lip to keep from responding before moving on again.

When they arrived at Grissom’s door Greg knocked once before hearing a reply. As he opened the door and ushered Erika inside, he saw Gretchen coming down the hallway just after them. She gave him one shrewd look before heading past him and that was it. That, Greg knew, wasn’t a coincidence and had to mean trouble.

“Dr. Stewart,” Grissom greeted, standing and shaking her hand.

Grissom, as always, let no hint of the surprise it was to see them together reach his face. He just accepted it.

“Greg,” he said, seeing him getting ready to leave, “Could you ask the team to meet in here tonight for the meeting?”

”Sure thing,” Greg said, giving Erika one last look before shutting the door on the two of them.

Greg made it part way down the hall before running into Nick and Warrick.

“Hey guys,” he said, walking up to them both, “Grissom wants us in his office for assignments.”

They both nodded and the three of them moved into the break room.

“Have you seen Amy?” Nick asked Greg as he sat down on the couch.

“I just got here,” Greg answered sitting on the table and stifling a yawn.

“And you’re already tired?” Warrick questioned with a laugh.

“I didn’t really sleep today,” was Greg’s reply and neither of them dared ask why. It could go either way, good or bad, knowing he’d spent at least part of it with Sara.

“I thought Amy wasn’t coming in?” Warrick asked Nick now instead.

“She changed her mind,” he returned with a shrug, “Felt better.”

“Guys,” came Grissom from the doorway, making them all turn nearly as one. He wasn’t alone. “Dr. Stewart has some information for you concerning the case.”

Nick and Warrick exchanged a look before standing and walking over to her. Greg had slid off the table during this time and tried to busy himself across the room.

“You’ve met Warrick Brown,” Grissom said.

“Mr. Brown,” she said shaking his hand, “Yes, in the gallery.”

”This is Nick Stokes,” Grissom continued, “He’s also been working on the robbery.”

”Mr. Stokes,” she said equally polite, shaking his hand as well.

Nick took a moment to observe her. He hadn’t met Erika before and Greg had really offered up no description. He didn’t know quite what to expect but this certainly wasn’t it. He’d told Nick that while he was at Berkeley he’d gotten involved with one of the undergrad students who taught some of his classes and that they’d been pretty serious for three years.

Nick thought she’d be a little more like Greg. Even Sara had her lighthearted moments. This woman seemed like she was all business. Serious business.

“As I was telling Dr. Grissom,” Erika began, “We’ve received numerous calls at the gallery about Ms. Winger’s work. I understand you visited her today at her workshop, I imagine she was busy.”

”Very,” Warrick said with a nod. He didn’t like to give away much but she seemed to know.

“That’s usually how it happens,” she said smiling now. “Most artists nowadays become famous for stunts they pull or the outrageousness of their subjects. But a few become famous the right way, for being talented.”

”Was Ms. Winger talented?” Nick asked.

“Her work shows great potential,” Erika answered with a nod, “It’s very subtle. But she’s years away from real brilliance. From real celebrity.”

”Until her painting got lifted,” Warrick supplied. It’s what Nick and he had been discussing since seeing her that afternoon.

“And sometimes that’s how it happens,” she agreed. “If an artist’s work is valuable enough to steal, people begin to want it more. Covet it.”

Greg couldn’t help but listen in, even though he’d tried hard not too. He also couldn’t help but notice Erika cast a slight look in his direction at her last words.

“Our gallery re-opens on Friday,” she continued, “and I got these delivered to my office this afternoon.”

Warrick took the papers and Nick leaned in to read over his shoulder.

“These are seizer papers,” Warrick said surprised.

“From Stephanie Winger’s husband,” Erika said nodding once more, “They’re divorcing and his lawyer suddenly wants an equal division of all assets including the paintings.”

The words sunk in for a minute and they both began to have a very different idea of who was behind this set-up.

“Those are yours,” Erika said smiling once more, “I have the originals if you need them.”

”Thank you,” Warrick said and Nick echoed the sentiment.

“If you’re free,” she said addressing them all now, “You’re all more then welcome to the gallery’s re-opening. I can arrange for as many tickets as you’d need, consider it the Bellagio’s way of saying thank you.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Grissom said now, “But thank you for the offer.”

”Well gentlemen,” she said, “could I ask one of you to escort me out?”

”I can,” Warrick offered and Erika smiled and thanked him.

“On your way back please let Catherine and Sara know we’ll be meeting in my office,” Grissom asked and Warrick nodded once before the two left. “Nick, Greg, let’s go.”

Greg sighed and put down the magazine he hadn’t been reading, following them out the door.

Catherine joined them in Grissom’s office not long afterwards looking surprised to see just the three of them.

The four of them small talked about cases until Warrick and Sara came into the room.

“Okay,” Grissom said ready to get down to business, “Nick, Warrick, how does what the doctor say fit with your information?”

”We were heading down that road already,” Warrick said. “Her workshop was swamped but she didn’t mention any estranged husbands. It’s definitely worth checking out.”

”She could be working with him,” Catherine offered, having already been caught up, “A woman did drop that fake bomb off.”

”We’re still going to compel prints,” Nick said with a nod. “They could both be looking to get rich.”

”Arson case?” Grissom asked, turning to Sara.

“Nothing new,” she said, shaking her head.

“I thought you’d both been called for a fire today?”

”An electrical fire,” Sara answered, “It wasn’t our guy. An accident.”

Grissom paused and looked over his files for a minute before looking up curiously.

“Nick,” he said, “Why are you here?”

Nick looked at him skeptically.

“Is that like a metaphysical question?”

”No,” Grissom returned, “Why are you here tonight? You’re not scheduled.”

”Because we’ve got work to do.”

”I was serious when I said we need to cut back on overtime.”

”I didn’t clock in.”

Grissom gave him one last look before sighing. Trying to keep his team out of the lab was like trying to hold back the ocean with your hands.

“Try not to stay all night,” he finally said before handing out assignments.

Again he assigned Greg and Sara to work together. So far they hadn’t seemed to mind and he knew if either seriously had a problem they’d tell him. At least, he hoped they’d tell him.

It was a double homicide out on Blue Diamond.

It was going to be a long night.


	9. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_I'm sure their sick of seeing their names in lights, but thanks again[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)! It's getting late, I'm working on a 'Choose a Fate' for Erika poll, and I really don't have much more to say. Enjoy!

**Chapter 12: Explosive**

“Why won’t anyone let me drive?” Greg asked Sara as they made their way to the garage.

“Because we’ve all seen you drive,” she answered with a smile.

She felt a strange sense of relief. Yes, she was still mad. Mad at Gretchen who had obviously lied to get her worked up. And mad at herself for believing it. She should have known better.

“I don’t drive that badly,” Greg countered and she gave him a look of disbelief.

“Well,” he said, opening the back and putting their cases in, “you didn’t always mind.”

“No,” she answered. “Not always.”

Greg stopped and leaned against the back of the SUV, a smile in place she hadn’t seen in a long time.

“But you’re not driving tonight,” she said, easily moving to the driver’s side, “You look beat.”

”I am,” Greg said getting in.

She started to ask if he was still having nightmares but stopped herself. That was pushing too far and she knew it.

They rode in silence for fifteen minutes until his phone went off.

Greg took it out of his pocket and frowned before answering it.

“Greg Sanders,” he said having not recognized the number.

Sara looked at him briefly and saw his features change.

“How’d you…”

She tried not to look or listen, but couldn’t help it. Sara knew who it was on the phone with him.

“Yeah I heard,” he said nodding slightly and looking out the window. “No.”

Greg let out a sigh and shook his head.

“No. No thank you.”

He turned to look at Sara briefly, just caught her eye, before turning away again and letting out a nervous laugh.

“They’re fine,” he said before a longer pause, “No, they don’t. Why would they?”

They’d reached their destination, a single-family home fairly far out of town with cop cars already present.

“I’ve got to go,” Greg said and it wasn’t hard to miss his contempt. “I’m working. Yeah. Bye.”

Greg hung up and let out a heavy breath.

“Sorry,” he said folding up his phone and pocketing it.

Sara shrugged and tried to play it off but the easy vibe they’d had was now gone. They both got out of the SUV in silence and retrieved their cases before walking up to Charlie who was the detective assigned to the case.

“What have we got?” Sara asked as she came up to him.

“I’m not sure,” Charlie said with a tight-lipped grin they’d all grown accustomed too.

Charlie didn’t grin when he was happy, but when he was distressed. If you saw him grinning at a crime scene it was going to be bad.

“Double right?” Greg asked, looking at the house with a sense of foreboding.

“Yeah,” Charlie said after clearing his throat, “We think it’s the couple that lives here, James and Tanya Richards.”

”Think?” Sara asked.

“It’s kind of hard to ID them. They’ve been here awhile.”

Charlie began to move towards the house, leading them into the scene. As soon as they reached the door the odor hit them. It was like walking into a wall of stench.

Sara held her hand up under her nose and blinked several times. Greg had to shut his eyes briefly and shake his head before he could move forward.

“The wife, we think,” Charlie said, holding a hand up over his mouth as he spoke, “is in here.”

He led them to the back bedroom and into the bath. There in the tub, obviously a week old at least and floating back up, was the body. She’d been shot through the back of the head.

“The husband is this way,” Charlie continued, leading them back through the house to the kitchen.

At the table, face down in a dinner plate was a man, also shot through the back of the head.

“Thanks,” Sara said, still blinking away the smell, “Let’s photo document the scene.”

Greg nodded and the three of them moved to the living room.

“You want the floater?” Greg asked with a hint of a smile and she caught on. They’d just been talking about this last night. “I know how you like a challenge.”

“How about we do this together,” she suggested and he nodded.

“I’m just going to step outside,” Charlie said, moving away from the two of them and out the door.

“Let’s get started,” Sara said, taking out a mask for each of them.

It took a few hours but they were finally able to get the bodies processed and cleared for removal to the morgue. Breathing wasn’t any easier with them out of the building but they did their best.

“I’m going to check outside,” Greg said needing cleaner air. “See if I can find anything.”

”Okay,” Sara returned, still going through the kitchen for evidence.

He stepped out into the night air, relieved that it was a relatively cool night. Taking off the mask and stripping off his gloves he rubbed his eyes before donning new ones.

Readying his flashlight he began to check the outer windows and doors without much luck until he approached the master bedroom. The window there was ajar and the screen yanked off and on the ground. Greg took several pictures before moving closer to recover anything relevant. He found several fibers caught on the window frame which he promptly bagged.

That’s when he heard the sirens.

Greg moved quickly back into the house to Sara who was also looking around in surprise. Together they headed outside where Charlie met them at the door.

“Got a fire down the street,” he said to them, “Some of the officers here are going now.”

Greg and Sara saw the fire trucks now as they raced down the street further out of town. In the distance they could see it. Even from where they were they could see the flames, bright and huge. They exchanged glances thinking that this might be their arsonist.

“Where is the fire at?” Greg questioned.

“Old farmhouse,” Charlie answered, “Abandoned. Neighbors called it in.”

”Are you done?” Sara asked Greg and he knew she wanted to go right away.

“Almost,” he returned. “Why don’t you go? Charlie will drop me off at the fire, won’t you?”

”Yeah, no problem,” he answered.

Sara nodded and went back in for her things. She left some parting instructions for Greg before calling back to the lab and then heading down to see it for herself.

Greg really wasn’t much longer. He and Charlie stayed long enough to secure the scene before heading down the road after Sara. The fire was just now nearly extinguished and a small crowd had gathered.

“I got crowd shots already,” Sara said to him as he came up beside her.

“So what does the fire marshal say?”

”Right now,” Sara answered, “Nothing. But he’s tentatively leaning towards arson.”

”It’s our guy’s type of building.”

Sara nodded; it did fit.

“What did Grissom say?” he asked now.

“Not to rush things.”

Greg smiled and looked down, laughed a little.

“What’s funny?” she asked, looking at him with an odd twist of her lips.

“It’s just between that last call and this fire I think I’m going to have to throw these clothes out.”

Sara laughed softly too. Greg looked at her and realized how close they were standing. Shoulder to shoulder practically. At the same time he felt it; she did too. They locked eyes and smiled.

And then the ground shook.

The far side of the barn exploded back into flames with a bang.

Greg, only reacting, took Sara by the arm and pulled her down and behind him. People in the crowd screamed out in surprised.

Firemen rushed back toward the building as the police tried to restore order and move the crowd back.

“You two okay?” Charlie asked coming up to them in a hurry.

Greg got back to his feet, still standing in front of Sara partially blocking her and breathing heavy. He had hold of both her hands with his one and she felt it shake.

“Greg,” Charlie repeated taking in his blank stare. “Sara?”

”We’re fine,” Sara answered, reluctantly pulling her hands from his and placing a newly freed one on his back. “Just shocked.”

Charlie nodded but continued to stare at Greg who had finally come round.

“Fine,” he said looking away from the fire and glancing from one to the other. “Fine.”

Sara saw him clench his fists and grew worried.

“Couple of the guys said it was the propane tanks out back,” Charlie told them now, “Should be out soon.”

”Thanks,” Sara said, still rubbing Greg’s back.

Charlie nodded and left, going to help where he could. As soon as he was gone, Greg turned around and walked back towards the SUV. Sara followed behind.

“Are you okay?” she asked as he leaned against it, head back with his eyes shut.

“Yeah,” he said, not looking at her or moving. “I just need a minute.”

Sara nodded and moved to stand beside him, ready to wait for as long as he needed. As soon as she did he took her hand again and squeezed it.

Greg finally let go and pushed himself away from the vehicle.

“Alright,” he said evenly, “Let’s go.”

Sara smiled at him and together they went back to the scene.


	10. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Pretty much assume I'm always going to thank[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[ **tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) and [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)_[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) before I say anything else. Really, without these ladies I'd never get this thing done! Oh, and yeah, I've been paying attention to the poll. I'll see what I can do about those things, well, not the part about me being *pure evil*, that I can't help. :) 

**Chapter 13: Push**

Amy kept missing Nick throughout the night. It seemed like whenever she tried to catch him in the break room, he’d just left it. If she looked in the AV lab, he’d gone to trace. Finally, she gave up and stayed put in DNA. Eventually he’d come to her and he did.

The shift was nearly over before he’d gotten the chance. Nick had gotten caught up in work and time had slipped by. Walking in now he was glad to see she didn’t look sick anymore, but she did look worried.

“Hi,” he said, coming in the lab.

Amy looked up and gave him a weak smile and it struck him that she looked more then worried, she looked terrified.

“What’s wrong?”

“We, um, we need to talk,” she said looking down at the table.

Before he could respond, she was already waving him off.

“But not right now,” she said clearing her throat, “Not here.”

”Do you want to take a break?” he asked, really anxious. Amy looked like she might cry and he couldn’t think of a reason she’d be so worked up.

“I’ve already taken too many tonight,” Amy answered, exhaling forcefully.

“It’s slow,” Nick argued, “No one will mind.”

Amy hesitated before agreeing, putting away her things and heading out the door with him. She steered him towards the roof instead of the break room, wanting more privacy then that would offer. Nick went without question, still worried about her, wondering if she possibly got bad news from home or if something worse had happened.

Once there, Amy stood with her arms crossed in front of her rocking on her feet. Nick stood in front of her and rubbed her arms with his hands trying to get her to look at him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly.

“I don’t know where to even start,” Amy said shaking her head, “I mean I thought… I’m not…I don’t…”

”Slow down,” he said with a small laugh, pulling her to him.

Amy rested her head on his chest and shut her eyes tightly. Nick rubbed her back and waited for her to begin.

Amy whispered something against him he couldn’t quite make out. Leaning down and looking in her eyes he asked her what she’d said.

She screwed up her face and shut her eyes tightly.

“I think I’m pregnant.”

Nick stopped rubbing circles on her back, stopped moving; it felt like he’d stopped breathing. It was hard not to look shocked, because he was, but only momentarily.

“You think?”

”With me being tired and sick and the ladies all talking…”

”Ladies? Who?” Nick asked, even more surprised that he wasn’t the first one to hear this.

“It’s not like I told them anything it’s just that Jacqui knows I’ve been sick and Sara was with me… it’s a mess, I know…but I didn’t know until I took my break tonight and bought a test.”

Amy stopped and looked at him, trying to figure out if he was mad or upset or what. She didn’t really know how to feel herself right now.

“They aren’t a hundred percent,” she said weakly and he knew she must have had it turn up positive.

Nick nodded and took a deep breath.

“I’m going to call my doctor in the morning,” Amy continued, “Just to be sure, because it isn’t certain.”

”But you took one and…”

”I took three.”

”Three?” Nick questioned, smiling at her.

“Well, they had a three pack and I just figured… they probably aren’t all defective though, are they?”

”It’s pretty unlikely.”

Amy said nothing and Nick squeezed her gently, kissing the top of her head.

“What do you think?” she asked, moving away slightly to look up at his face.

“It’s…it’s a lot to take in,” he answered honestly, “but whatever happens Amy, we’re going to be fine. I love you. Really, it’s going to be okay.”

Amy breathed a sigh of relief and sunk back into his arms.

“I love you too.”

****

Greg and Sara were a sight to see as they rolled back into the lab. Smelling like death and covered in soot, a path was cleared for them wherever they went. They dropped off their evidence without saying much to anyone. Both exhausted, they went straight to the locker room.

After showering they met up again as they gathered their things. Greg was done first and Sara found him hunched over before his locker, taking deep breaths with his inhaler in hand.

“Alright?” she asked, sitting beside him.

“All that smoke,” he said tapping his chest, “Finally hit me. But I’m fine.”

”Are you sure?”

Greg gave her a smile and nodded. It wasn’t an attack, just some minor constriction in his chest.

“You’re off tonight,” he said after a pause, “Got any plans?”

“No,” she answered, “Not really. I might go to the gym. Or read. Probably read. Why?”

“I don’t know,” Greg said still in the process of putting on his shoes, “I was thinking about going to a movie and I thought maybe you might want to come too.”

“Yeah,” Sara returned, “That sounds like a good idea. I’d like that.”

The door opened and the both looked over at Warrick. For a time, Sara thought that was it. That Greg might have decided against it as quickly as he had decided for it. And then he spoke up again.

“Should I stop by about five?” he asked, “We can get dinner too.”

Sara smiled and nodded as she put the rest of her things away.

“That would be good. Five is perfect.”

”I’ll see you then,” Greg said with one more smile, finishing up.

With a quick goodbye to Sara and Warrick he was gone.

“It sounds like the two of you are getting along,” Warrick said turning to her slightly.

“Yeah, well we’re trying.”

”Good.”

”Don’t,” Sara said as she shut her locker, “Just don’t say anything or tease him, please. Things are…”

”I’m cool,” Warrick said smiling, “I won’t mess this up. If Greg wanted to talk about it with me, I know he’s not shy.”

Sara laughed and nodded in agreement.

“I’m happy for you,” Warrick replied. “Both of you.”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Sara said quietly.

Warrick took it in and nodded.

“Step forward right?”

“Yeah,” she said with a nod, “It is.”

”That’s something,” he said shutting his door and giving her one last smile before leaving for the day.

Sara had to agree with that.

****

At first it was awkward.

Greg came by to pick Sara up right on time and they both couldn’t help but recall his last and only visit to her apartment just over two weeks ago. They both tried to remember this wasn’t really a date.

This was just two people trying to learn to be friends again.

They’d both dressed casually and since they’d both slept most of the day, decided to have dinner first.

Greg picked a nice Mexican restaurant they’d been to before. It was one of the few restaurants they’d ever agreed on since it had a wide variety of vegetarian dishes.

It wasn’t until halfway through the meal that they’d both grown comfortable and began to talk again like normal.

Since he’d picked the restaurant Sara picked the movie. She made sure to pick something light, not overtly romantic and definitely not gory. That was a feat but she managed.

Once it was over it was still fairly early in the night. Greg had three hours before he had to be at work and Sara really didn’t want to leave yet so they decided to walk around the open air mall that faced the theater.

They continued to talk casually as they wandered in and out of shops with no place in particular in mind. When they grew tired of window shopping they stopped for coffee and took up people watching instead.

“Was this the worst idea ever or am I just imagining it?” Greg asked after a longer then normal lull in conversation.

“I didn’t think it was going that badly,” Sara said wrinkling her brow and looking into her cup.

“No, well,” Greg stammered, “I just meant I feel like I’m about fifteen going on my first date ever and I don’t remember half of what I said tonight and I know I’ve talked your ear off.”

Greg sighed and looked down at his own cup.

“Double espresso wasn’t a good idea either,” Greg said with a smile.

“I had fun,” Sara said meeting his eye, “I’m having fun. This was nice.”

Greg said nothing again for another full minute, just continued to swirl the remains of his drink and watch as a few more couples wandered past them.

“The problem is I really want to kiss you.”

Sara felt the blush in her cheeks but otherwise didn’t know how to respond.

“And I know that I shouldn’t,” he said and then quickly corrected, “That I shouldn’t yet. It’s too soon.”

Sara frowned again but nodded in agreement. They shouldn’t rush this.

“This is what I meant,” Greg said, starting to ramble, “When I said I didn’t think I could just be friends Sara. I meant this. I want more and I’m not sure…”

”Greg,” Sara interrupted.

He stopped momentarily and looked at her. It was long enough.

Sara leaned in and kissed him lightly.

When he didn’t respond she pulled back, embarrassed and worried she’d blown it. That she finally pushed too far. That it really was too soon.

But she didn’t have a chance to think these things for long because soon he was kissing her.

**Chapter 14: Lucky**

Greg was running a little later then usual for work, but tonight he didn’t care.

He felt great. Really great. Greg knew that nothing was fixed between them, not yet at least. That in fact things were in no way resolved, but just spending the evening with Sara had felt right. Being near her, talking with her, it had all felt right.

They still had a lot of things to work on. Like communication. Greg knew they needed to work on that. One night spent out together, no matter how great it was, wouldn’t fix everything. A couple of shared kisses wouldn’t change it either, because really that had never been their problem.

He’d taken her home not long after the incident at the coffee shop. Sara had invited him up but he’d declined. Politely, and it hadn’t been easy. Instead they talked for nearly an hour in his car, until he’d had no choice but to leave for work. They’d gone back over some of their problems and he really thought things were going to be okay.

When they’d said goodnight he kissed her again. It was still fairly tame but building between them. Greg didn’t want to jump the gun and Sara didn’t seem to want to either. They could take this slow. They needed to if they were going to do this right.

Greg got to the lab that night and couldn’t stop smiling.

He went straight to the break room, skipping the locker room because of the time, and took out a soda from the fridge before sitting on the couch next to Catherine.

“You look chipper,” she commented.

“I do?” he asked, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Yeah you do,” Catherine said, putting aside the magazine she’d been skimming and really scrutinizing him.

“I had a good day,” he returned, still smiling.

“I can see that.”

Greg laughed a little, but it was pretty clear he wasn’t going to give any details so Catherine didn’t press for them. Nick soon joined them and took up occupancy in the nearest chair looking exhausted.

“You didn’t catch what Amy has did you?” Greg asked, causing Catherine to chuckle and return to her magazine.

“No,” Nick said, with a hard look at Catherine before turning to Greg, “I’m fine. I just didn’t get much sleep.”

“Okay,” Greg said skeptically, also looking between the two of them, “Is Amy coming in tonight?”

”She’s taking a few days off,” Nick returned in the most non-committal tone he could.

“That doesn’t sound good.”

Nick sighed. Greg was not getting the hint. Nick wanted to tell him, talk to him about it, but not with Catherine sitting there. Not right now.

“Just,” Nick said shaking his head, “Later, alright? Later.”

Greg shrugged and again Catherine chuckled.

Grissom soon joined them and looked relieved that the group was so small. Sara and Warrick each had the night off and he thought that at least they’d listened. That they’d known how serious he was about the overtime issue.

Well, maybe just Sara did.

Warrick came in two seconds after Grissom and even apologized for running late.

“You’re not on tonight,” Grissom said flatly, shaking his head even.

“Nick and I have work to do,” was all he said as he leaned up against the table.

“Fine,” Grissom said, ready to begin.

It was going to be a slow night. A paperwork night, a night they all needed. There was only one active case that night and Grissom was going to it himself. Greg would have his hands full with all the new evidence from the double homicide and the arson last night and everyone else was wrapped up in the Bellagio case.

As they broke up, Nick hit Greg lightly across the arm indicating for him to stay. Once everyone was gone Nick looked at him seriously and Greg couldn’t help ask him what was wrong.

“Nothing,” Nick said shaking his head, “Nothing really. It’s…”

”What?” Greg asked again.

“Okay, I am completely serious when I say you cannot tell anyone this.”

”Nick,” Greg started, “when aren’t you completely serious?”

”Greg,” he returned warningly.

“I’m sorry, it’s just…”

”I know. This is…”

”What already?”

”Amy’s pregnant.”

Greg just stared at him, mouth open and unblinking.

“We think she’s pregnant,” Nick continued, shuffling his feet. If telling Greg was this hard, how was he supposed to tell everyone else. Or his family even. Worse, her family. “She went to the doctor’s office today, we’ll know for sure in a few days.”

”That’s great,” Greg said so loudly Nick actually hushed him.

“Sorry,” Greg went on, remembering this was obviously still a secret, “It’s just it’s exciting right? You’re going to be a dad.”

Greg saw a flicker of panic pass before his friend’s eyes and knew he needed to scale back.

“You are excited, right? It is good news?”

”Honestly, I’m a little freaked out right now,” Nick admitted, sitting back down. “It’s all kind of sudden and I’m just trying to take it all one step at a time. Find out if it is real and then…”

”What?” Greg asked, sitting down across from him. “What are you going to do?”

”I don’t know. Get married?”

”As long as you’re sure,” Greg said sarcastically.

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Nick countered, “It’s just Amy. I can’t even get her to move in with me.”

Greg tried to hold back his laughter, making him snort instead and earning a not-so-nice look in return from Nick.

“Sorry,” Greg said again, “Yeah, she’s kind of independent like that.”

”Kind of,” Nick repeated. “She’s staying out of the lab until she knows. Until the doctor says it’s safe for her to come in. We’re not taking chances either way.”

“Good,” Greg nodded and then paused momentarily before adding, “And I can’t tell anyone?”

”No one,” Nick said firmly.

Greg nodded his head, still smiling.

“Can I tell Sara?” he asked causing Nick to look at him oddly.

“You two talking that much?”

”Yeah,” Greg answered with a grin, “We are.”

”She probably already knows.”

”Really?” Greg asked, more then surprised. “So it’s okay?”

”But no one else. Really. We want to keep this quiet for as long as we can.”

”I get that,” Greg said standing, “I mean, I give it a week before everyone knows but yeah, I get it.”

Nick shook his head, standing as well. Greg was probably right. He wouldn’t be too shocked to find out if everyone didn’t already suspect as much.

They both left the break room together and ran straight into Sara.

“Hey,” she said smiling at the two of them, “I was just looking for you.”

Greg smiled back, he couldn’t help it. Nick felt his own worries start to lessen. This wasn’t typical for them, not even lately. This was great to see.

“Do you want to tackle the arson or the double first?”

“Let’s do the double,” Greg answered, “We can talk on the way to the morgue.”

Sara nodded and they both turned to go.

“Remember what I said,” Nick called out to Greg, who turned once and waved in reply.

Nick watched them go and they really seemed happy again.

“Sickening, isn’t it?”

Nick nearly jumped at the new voice beside him.

Hodges.

“What?” Nick asked, instantly regretting it.

“The two of them. Back together. It’s not natural.”

”They’re just being friendly is all,” Nick tried, knowing the last thing Sara and Greg would need was the added pressure of the office gossip mongers observing their every step.

“Is that what you and Amy are, friendly?”

Nick glared at him.

“Where is Amy?” Hodges asked.

Nick gave him one last look, shook his head and walked away.

****

The morgue, though never pleasant, was at least made easier by Doc Robbins. He went through James and Tanya Roberts injuries with them both although cause of death was fairly obvious. Still, it took a good part of the night.

On the way back they stopped for a bite to eat even though neither of them was exactly hungry.

“So,” Greg said as they sat down in the tiny donut shop that was extremely packed considering the time of night, “Nick says you probably know.”

”Know what?” Sara asked stirring her coffee.

“Something good,” Greg answered evasively, smiling, before taking a bite of his éclair.

“I have never understood how you can eat so much junk and not gain weight.”

”High metabolism,” he said, mouth still full. “And you’re not playing along.”

”Obviously you know. And you know I know.”

”Yeah, but that’s not fun.”

”Fine,” she said smiling now, never able to resist his brand of logic. “What does Nick say I probably know? Something about Amy I’m guessing.”

”Yes,” he said beaming, now making her smile.

“So it’s certain?” she asked, taking a sip.

“Not yet, but man. Isn’t that great?”

”You are so excited about this,” she laughed.

“I really am,” Greg said nodding before taking his own sip of coffee, “I kind of think I’m more excited then Nick is.”

”You didn’t see Amy,” Sara said shaking her head.

“She’s not happy either?”

”She’s scared,” Sara defended, “Who wouldn’t be?”

”I guess,” he said, shrugging.

“It’s not exactly planned. Give them both some time.”

Greg nodded and looked down at the table. He finished his pastry and pulled together the trash on the table before looking back up at her again.

Sara had an idea what was on his mind.

After a lot of fighting and initial unease, Greg and Sara had begun to discuss the possibility of children not long before they’d split up. Greg couldn’t have children and they’d decided to adopt. It wasn’t something they’d discussed with any of their friends, Greg wasn’t comfortable with the topic, but they’d both wanted a family.

“I just hope they know that they’re lucky,” Greg finally said.

“I’m sure they do.”


	11. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Beta(s)**[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Thanks betas! I'm nothing without you. I've moved your names into the header because I've grown lazy of retyping it. :) Side note, for anyone reading this and 'The Reaper' I haven't forgotten it or abandoned it but the more I think it out the more complex it becomes so I just need some more time. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out, probably after the muse stops bombarding me with ideas for this one. And thanks to everyone who took the poll, glad to see I'm not the root cause of evil anymore!_

**_EDIT: I added Chapter 16 here as well...sorry if I messed anyone up._ **

**Chapter 15: Us**

Greg was woken again by the sound of his phone. His cell phone. Ringing persistently.

Rolling off the couch Greg groaned and stretched. It was just after four in the afternoon.

“Sanders,” he answered weakly, instantly wishing he hadn’t.

“Hi Greg.”

”Erika,” he said tightly, shaking his head.

This wasn’t happening.

“I’m sorry I caught you at a bad time last night, I thought now would be better.”

”Uh huh,” Greg yawned, moving into the kitchen and silently cursing the call out center. That’s who had given her his number. He’d have to stop by today and remind them that this was his personal phone, not for business and not to be given away.

“I was hoping you’d reconsidered my offer. Friday night.”

”No, I haven’t. I’m not doing this again.”

Greg opened the fridge and winced. Nothing. It was nearly bare except for some questionable milk and what he thought might have once been a pear.

“I’m not asking you to sleep with me, just come to the gallery as my guest. You always cleaned up nice. When’s the last time you wore a suit?”

”Court. Three weeks ago.”

”For fun, Greg. For fun.”

”Wearing a suit is never fun.”

“So, did you tell your parents I’ve moved?”

”Again, why would I?”

”I just thought…”

”If you’re so concerned about them knowing, tell them yourself,” Greg said with a sigh.

“Do you want me too?” she asked in such a way he could picture her smug smile.

It was a challenge. Greg’s parents knew Erika, knew her well. Knew her ex-husband too. They just had no idea Greg and Erika were ever involved.

“Erika, I’m getting too old for this crap. You know, once I thought it was cute or even a little intriguing. Dangerous. Now, I don’t have time. Tell them if you want. Tell them everything. I’ll save you the time, I’ll do it. Hell, I’ll call up Josh and confess. Is that what you want? Do you want me to call up your ex and tell him about all the times he was out of town?”

”Does Sara know?”

Greg paused.

“Know what?” he asked.

”About us?”

”There is no us. And why do you care if she does?”

”She seemed…interested.”

”Leave her out of this,” Greg said firmly, “Leave me out of it too. I mean it. I’m not playing games with you anymore.”

”You use to like playing games,” Erika returned and Greg was honestly relieved to hear her angry. At least that meant he was getting through to her. “You use to be fun.”

”I use to be a lot of things and then I grew up. One of us had too.”

”She’ll never make you happy,” Erika spat out, “She can’t. I know you…”

”You knew me,” Greg corrected. “It’s been a long time.”

”Three years isn’t that long.”

Greg felt the moment drag out. Knew he had to speak, had to say something. If he didn’t, in a weird way, she’d win.

“That was a mistake.”

”I don’t think so.”

”It was,” he said as serious as he could.

“Fine. Tell yourself what you have to, but I know the truth.”

”Erika,” he tried to interrupt but she wasn’t having it.

“I know you’ll be back and I can wait.”

”Whatever,” Greg said shaking his head.

“I’ll see you around.”

Greg didn’t even say goodbye, or wait for her to, just hung up the phone and put it down on the counter.

How was he supposed to deal with this?

****

Amy had hardly slept. When Nick came home that morning she was wide awake in front of the computer. She’d spent the night doing research on everything from pregnancy to the effects of chemicals on the fetus.

He’d convinced her to go to sleep but she’d insisted on breakfast first. She’d been reading that the best cure for morning sickness was to eat six small meals a day. Well, it was one of the things. Most of the information she’d found also said that peppermint could help. Of course, nothing was guaranteed but she was willing to try it.

Nick got undressed as Amy crawled under the sheets. She’d been in her pajamas for hours unable to sleep. When he joined her they just lay there for a minute or two not sure what to say.

“I told Greg,” Nick said rolling onto his side to face her.

Amy did the same but said nothing.

“What are you thinking?” he asked her quietly, rubbing her side with his free hand.

“That I’m terrified,” she answered honestly, “That I don’t know how I’m going to do this. Or tell my parents. That I know nothing about babies.”

”We.”

Amy raised her eyebrow at him, not sure what he meant.

“We’re going to do this,” he said, making her smile.

Amy settled in closer, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest.

“It’s not the end of the world, is it?” she asked. The tone of her voice getting to him, she sounded so fragile.

“No,” he returned firmly. “It’s not. It’s definitely not. Amy this could be a great thing.”

”Will you be upset?”

“About what?”

“If I am.”

”No, I’ll be happy.”

Amy looked up at him, daring it to be true.

“I will,” he said, pulling her closer, kissing her forehead and making her smile.

“What if I’m not?”

”Then you’re not,” he said evenly.

“So I should just stop obsessing about it until I,” she stopped and corrected herself, “Until we know, right?”

”Right.”

****

Sara took the initiative and called Greg for dinner that night. He’d sounded a bit taken back but accepted without hesitation.

Once more he picked her up at her apartment, they still had plenty of time for dinner before heading home again to change.

Sara met him at the steps and they quickly decided on sushi.

That night they sat at the bar, the service was always a bit faster there, and each ordered a roll, green tea and a seaweed salad. She the salmon skin, he the spicy shrimp.

“So how is a fish not an animal?” he asked with a smile.

“We’ve been through this,” she shrugging, “It’s just not the same. I know it’s still an animal, but it doesn’t bleed the same. I don’t know, it’s really just meat I can’t…”

Sara trailed off, pulling a face and making Greg laugh.

“It’s greasy, it smells, it’s just not good for you.”

”I get it,” Greg interrupted, still laughing.

“So, what did you do today?” Sara asked after he’d finally stopped.

“Not much. I slept. I’ve started my masters program back up.”

”Really?”

”Yeah its correspondence and self paced…”

”So you’re already done,” she interrupted.

Greg shrugged and tilted his head to the side, unable to deny it.

“How many classes do you have left?”

“Five after this one,” he said in between bites. “I might try two again next semester; I just want to get it done.”

”And then it’s on to your doctorate?” Sara asked with a grin.

“Maybe.”

”Good,” she said still smiling.

“Well, not soon but eventually.”

They finished their meal in an easy silence, making occasional small talk. They both knew that as nice as it was that they’d have to start talking about real issues soon, it just wasn’t going to be tonight. Neither of them wanted to risk the good vibe they’d created with the possibility of an argument.

After dinner Greg drove Sara back to her place. Once more she’d asked him to come inside and he’d once more declined. Instead they sat in his car talking. They didn’t want to quite call it a night yet. And even though they’d been seeing each other again in a few hours, it wasn’t easy to just say goodbye.

So when it was time to go Greg had kissed her again. It wasn’t as chaste as the previous nights had been; it was definitely more intense but still partially restrained. Barely. And he had to admit, at the moment they’d finally moved away from each other, if Sara had asked him then to go upstairs with her, he’d of gone.

**Chapter 16: Confrontation**

Sara got to the lab well before Greg did and again she was in a really good mood.

She stopped by most of the labs to get updates on her cases. Bobby had matched the bullets in the Roberts’ to a nine millimeter that had been used before in a robbery-turned-homicide at a gas station just down the road from the scene. Hodges had once more determined the cause of the latest arson was again kerosene. So far so good, that is until she rounded the corner into the small conference room and found Warrick talking with Erika.

They weren’t alone. Two armed guards were with them, carefully taking down the painting and getting ready to transport it back to the Bellagio.

Warrick turned and nodded at her, indicating to give him a minute and she stopped in the doorway, although she’d rather just have left.

“Again, thank you for your cooperation,” Warrick said as he returned his attention to the young curator. “The crime lab appreciates it.”

”No problem at all; you’ve taken excellent care of our painting and we appreciate that.”

Just then the two guards had finished securing the painting into its packaging and were ready to go. They moved past Sara and down the hall to the waiting car outside with ease but before they got far Warrick’s pager went off.

Taking the phone off his belt he frowned at the number and then excused himself from Dr. Stewart.

“Sara,” he said pulling her aside, “I’ve got to take this. Brass just brought in our suspect and he and Nick are waiting for me. I wouldn’t ask this of you unless I had too but could you show her out.”

Warrick had nodded slightly in Erika’s direction, but even if he hadn’t she’d of known who he meant. Sara also knew now that Warrick had a good idea about Greg and Erika’s involvement, but then again so did everyone.

“It’s no problem,” Sara said in as convincing of a voice as she could manage.

“I owe you,” Warrick said sincerely, knowing this wasn’t easy on her.

And with a quick goodbye to each of them he was gone.

“So,” Sara said, a tight lipped smile planted firmly on her face, “Is there anything else you need?”

”No,” Erika answered. It was the first time her smile hadn’t looked completely convincing. “I’m all set. I guess I just need an escort out.”

”Right this way,” Sara said, turning and moving swiftly down the hall.

“I was wondering,” Erika asked, after she’d quickly caught up to her, “How long have you known Greg?”

”About six years.”

“And you dated…” Erika asked again, letting the question go unfinished.

Sara stopped and turned to her, the forced smile completely gone.

“I’m sorry, what does this have to do with your case?”

“Nothing, I’m just curious,” Erika answered, “He seems to like you. Of course, he seems to like a lot of women. Greg’s problem is he doesn’t really know how to commit.”

”I don’t think that’s his problem,” Sara said with as much calm as she could manage, once more moving towards the exit.

“No, trust me. It is. I should know.”

”About commitment problems,” Sara countered, “I have no doubt. But about Greg, you’re wrong.”

”But he did break it off with you,” Erika continued, undeterred. “Didn’t he? I bet he’s even trying to fix things now. He doesn’t know what he really wants so he goes back and forth, sometimes for years. At least that’s how it is with us.”

Sara ignored her and kept walking. They were almost to the lobby. She was almost rid of her.

“He did tell you about us,” Erika stated, knowing it was true.

“Yeah, he did,” Sara said unable to stop herself now. “And if you think that a mistake he made over eight years ago is going to scare me off, you’re wrong.”

”Eight years ago?” Erika returned with a laugh, “Is that what he told you? No. It hasn’t been that long.”

They’d reached the front desk and Sara just stopped and stared at her in disbelief.

“He broke it off with you,” she countered firmly. “Greg told me…”

”Did he tell you about his last trip home?” Erika cut in, “When he was back in San Francisco looking for a job and we ran into each other? He certainly wasn’t calling anything off then.”

Sara stared at her. Dared her to blink, to move. Anything to give her an indication that it was a lie. Because it had to be. It had to be a lie.

“I’m only telling you because I don’t want you to get hurt.”

And there it was; that was the lie. It just wasn’t the lie Sara had wanted it to be.

Sara said nothing, turned away and signed off on the clipboard indicating a visitor was leaving the building.

“Thank Dr. Grissom again for me,” Erika finished, handing her the visitors badge before she turned and left.

Sara held onto it for a minute, watching her go. Turning back to the desk Gretchen was looking up at her, having witnessed it all. A smug smile on her face.

“What?” Sara snapped, tossing the badge onto the desk.

“I told you he was no better then the rest.”

“Gretchen,” Sara said leaning down to her, “Grow up okay? What are you, twenty-six, twenty-seven? We all know that Greg never slept with you and all this animosity you have towards him is about that. It’s time to move on.”

”Like you’re one to talk,” Gretchen spat back, Sara had clearly struck a nerve.

Sara just shot her one last glance before moving back into the main part of the lab. She shouldn’t have said that to Gretchen but right now found it hard to regret. It was true. Greg had told her that story and she knew nothing serious had happened between them. Greg had told her some line about not getting involved at work and she hadn’t taken it well. It’d been years and she still wasn’t taking it well. But honestly, Gretchen didn’t worry her, Erika did.

She knew Erika was like Gretchen in a lot of ways, just trying to get under her skin. And she was because it sounded true. Greg had always made it sound like the last time he’d been with her had been when he’d finished college and now Sara wasn’t so sure.

And when did this supposedly happen? Erika hadn’t been specific; she’d only said the last time he’d been home.

Greg had gone home over the Fourth of July weekend. And it wasn’t but a few days ago she’d ran across him doing resume research. She knew he’d tried to move to another shift but was he also trying to move back to San Francisco?

She just didn’t know.

****

Greg got to the lab long after Erika had left.

He smiled all the way to the locker room oblivious to everyone around him. He felt great again. This might actually work.

Nick was in there when he arrived, still looking tired but not nearly as bad as he had yesterday.

“How’s Amy?” Greg asked as he opened his locker.

“Better,” Nick said with a smile, “She’s getting use to it. We should know tomorrow.”

”Good,” he said with a nod, “You?”

”Yeah, I’m better too. It’s…”

Nick just trailed off, still smiling and holding up his hands. He really didn’t know how to describe it. Part of it still terrified him as much as it did Amy, but another part of him really wanted it.

“But what’s with you lately?” Nick asked.

“What?” Greg returned, holding up his hands at a loss.

“I don’t know,” Nick answered as he shut his locker, “You and Sara aren’t ripping each others throats out, which I have to say I thought would happen the minute Griss said you’d be working together.”

”Thanks,” Greg interrupted.

“Sorry man,” Nick offered, “but really, we all did. But you guys seem to be really getting along. That’s great.”

”Yeah,” Greg said smiling big, “It is. I…”

Greg stopped mid-sentence and looked around momentarily. Certain no one was there he straddled the bench and leaned in closer.

“I think we might work this out,” he whispered.

“That’s great,” Nick said, honestly relieved but a bit louder then Greg liked.

”It’s not,” Greg tried to explain, “It’s not like we’ve really worked things out. Not yet. But we’re trying. We’ve gone out the last couple of nights and it’s been nice. Normal. Okay, not really normal. How normal is it to be dating your ex-fiancée, but you know what I mean.”

”Dating huh?” Nick asked with a laugh.

“Almost. I mean we’re trying to take this slow, do things right but it’s not easy. I feel like I’m back in high school. And you know, I’ve finally figured out why I was such an ass then, it was sheer frustration because…”

”No,” Nick said cutting him off, shaking his head vigorously as he stood, “TMI man. I don’t need to know.”

”Too far?”

”Yeah.”

Greg shrugged and shut his locker.

“But I’m happy for you,” Nick said as they moved towards the exit.

“Thanks,” Greg said, still beaming.

They continued on to the break room, ready for the staff meeting. They were the last ones there, Grissom was waiting even, so they didn’t get a chance to say hello to anyone.

The meeting was again to the point. They gave updates on their current cases before the new ones were handed out. Greg and Sara had a suspicious fire to review, left over from swing shift. Nick and Warrick were going to continue with the Bellagio case with Grissom. Catherine had the night off.

With everyone knowing what needed to be done, they each set off.

Greg quickly caught up with Sara who hadn’t waited around after they’d broken as she raced down the hall.

“Where’s the fire?” he asked as he caught her and she gave him an odd look at his word choice, “I meant ‘what’s the hurry?’ although considering the arsons…”

”Let’s just get the files okay,” she said with a tight nod, moving away in one swift motion.

“Sara,” he said catching her once more, gently tugging on her elbow, “What is it? What’s…”

Sara stopped him by putting a hand on his chest as her other rubbed her forehead acutely aware that they were starting to attract attention. It wasn’t a hard thing to do; all the walls were glass after all. She didn’t want to do this here but knew she couldn’t spend the night ignoring it. Greg wouldn’t let her. She wouldn’t let herself.

“Come on,” she said, taking his hand and pulling him into the layout room.

Greg went willingly, not knowing what had changed in so short of a time but the look on her face clearly said something had. He really wasn’t sure he wanted to know what.


	12. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Beta(s):** [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)**tripp3235**  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

**Chapter 17: Truths**

“So?” Greg asked once the door was shut.

Sara was standing there, arms crossed and staring at her feet. It took her a minute but she finally asked.

“Are you still sleeping with her, with Erika?”

Last week Greg would have told her it wasn’t her business who he slept with. Hell, three days ago he would have said it but not now.

“No, why…”

”She was here tonight,” Sara cut him off, still looking down. “She was here and she said that you two still…”

”It’s not true,” Greg answered honestly. “I don’t know what she said but it isn’t true. She’s just trying to screw with my life.”

Sara nodded slowly, but wasn’t wholly convinced. Erika had not been lying; Sara had met enough liars in her life to know that.

“She said that you were job hunting in San Francisco and ran into each other. That…”

Sara stopped as she finally met his eyes. Greg had paled some and it was all the proof she’d needed.

“You did, didn’t you?” she asked, now upset.

“It’s not like it sounds…”

”What is it like then?” she asked and he wanted to die.

He wished she’d just get angry with him; it’d be easier to take. Standing with her now, Sara almost in tears, and he hated himself for it. Hated himself for a stupid mistake he couldn’t change no matter how much he wanted too.

“Sara,” he fumbled, “I don’t know even. I was going through…”

”Don’t give me that,” she interrupted and he was almost sorry to get his wish, “We were both going through things. I wasn’t out sleeping with every guy…”

”Sara,” he interrupted, not understanding her at all, “why would it matter to me who you were sleeping with then?”

The look she gave him was cold and hard like she didn’t believe it.

“Fine,” she said after a tense pause, “You don’t care. I know that when we had sex these last few times it didn’t mean the same things it use to. I know that. But you knew I wasn’t with anyone else and I thought you’d at least be honest with me if you were.”

”You are the only one I’ve been with Sara since the first time we were together. Honestly.”

”How can you say that when she just told me that you slept with her three months ago?” Sara asked, tears in her eyes.

“It wasn’t three months ago,” Greg returned shaking his head, “It was three years ago.”

“What?” she asked back sharply.

“Three years ago,” he repeated, “I took a week’s worth of vacation and we met accidentally when I was back at Berkeley checking leads.”

”But she said it was the last time you went home.”

”I don’t see her every time I go home Sara,” he said shaking his head slowly, calming down now himself. “I’ve barely seen her in the last eight years.”

”But it did happen…”

”Yeah, three years ago, like I said.”

”Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

”Because,” he said with a small laugh, “You didn’t want to know the details, remember? And I forgot. It’s not something I sit back and think about fondly. Her marriage was pretty much over by then but she was still married and…”

Greg trailed off and shrugged his shoulders. He had no excuse.

“Why were you looking for a new job?” she asked, feeling better herself that at least it was such a long time ago. That they hadn’t been together then and that Greg obviously regretted it.

“I needed a change,” he said as evenly as he could.

Sara wasn’t buying it. He looked more shaken up at her asking that question then he had at her asking about Erika. Greg saw her determination to know and sighed, sitting down in the nearest chair. Sara was soon next to him.

“It was after the accident,” he started, “I’d probably come back to work too soon but I thought if I didn’t then people would think I was afraid too.”

Greg stopped and took a deep breath before continuing.

“I was having problems concentrating and keeping focused. My work was starting to slip and I just didn’t care as much. After a few weeks I started calling in sick about once a week because I couldn’t get out of bed and do it anymore. When I was at work I tried to act like nothing was wrong. A week later and I called in sick three days in a row. That’s when Nick stopped by to check on me.”

He paused and cleared his throat, more to give himself a break then for her.

“He suggested I take some vacation time, maybe even talk to someone. Griss had told me before I could talk to him but I couldn’t do that. So I took Nick’s advice and flew home. I was looking for a job then, thought at the time maybe that’s what I needed, but couldn’t go through with it. Had a few offers but it felt too much like giving up if I left the lab.”

”And Erika?”

”It would have never happened if I had someone else,” Greg admitted. “It was a stupid lapse of judgment and what can I say except I was lonely. I needed someone to need me and she always did.”

For a minute neither of them spoke. Sara was looking at him and he was looking at the table. Greg didn’t know what else to say, wanted desperately to know what she thought, but couldn’t bring himself to ask.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

Surprise didn’t cover it. Greg looked up at her and met her gaze.

“Sara it was years ago,” he tried, but she was already shaking her head.

“I was too caught up in my own problems,” she said with a firm nod, “I should have noticed.”

”No one did.”

”Nick did,” she argued, “I should have too.”

”We weren’t close then,” Greg tired once more, “Sara, don’t blame yourself for that.”

”But you’ve always noticed me,” she said finally looking away, “When I’ve had problems you’ve always noticed. You’ve always cared.”

Greg moved to close his hand over hers when the door flew open.

“What’s going on?”

Sara and Greg turned as one to Ecklie.

“We were…we were just going over a case,” Sara said blinking a few times before putting on her best game face.

He looked from her to Greg and back again, not buying it but having nothing solid to prove they weren’t.

“Don’t you have an active case to get too?” he asked.

“Not tonight,” she returned, with each word her confidence growing.

He nodded and with one last skeptical look was gone.

Greg shook his head and let out a laugh.

“I’ve never got how you can just brush him off so easily.”

”It isn’t always easy,” she contended, “But it’s not always hard. You think too much about his good opinion.”

“Only when it comes to my job,” Greg said, smiling once more.

There was an awkward pause. They each knew there was work to be done but the conversation hadn’t felt over.

“Can we talk about this, maybe over breakfast?” Greg asked hesitantly.

He really couldn’t tell if she was still mad at him or not. If the reasons he’d given would seem valid, they didn’t to him even after three years of rationalization.

“That’s,” she said already nodding, “That’s good. Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

”We should probably start that work thing we were talking about then,” Greg said.

Sara stood in agreement but before Greg could get to his feet she was back near him, bringing her hands to his face and their lips together. Greg couldn’t remember her kissing him like this before, with such urgency and need.

“Man you two,” they heard from the door causing them to literally jump apart, “Lock the door at least.”

Warrick was already shutting the door before either of them could fully make out what he’d said, or the fact that as he’d left he’d done just that. He’d locked the door.

Sara was bright red and shaking her head, eyes fixed on the floor but Greg could only laugh.

“See what happens when we make out before shift starts,” he said playfully as he stood up next to her.

Sara laughed and shook her head some more until he gently tugged on her arm, moving them both towards the door.

He stopped at the door and leaned against it for a moment.

“We can talk now if you want,” he said, completely serious, “If you need to know now…”

”We can wait,” Sara said with complete sincerity, “We don’t have to talk about it at all if you don’t want too.”

”I do. I want you to know.”

”Good, because there are things I want you to know too.”

Greg smiled at her and undid the lock but paused before opening the door.

“Now remember,” he said, “Try not to look like you want me too much.”

Sara’s face broke into an infectious smile before she could stop herself.

”Well don’t laugh either,” he said in the same mock tone, “It’s not completely inconceivable.”

”No,” she said still fighting off the giggles, “It’s not.”

”Good,” he said giving her a wink before opening the door.


	13. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Beta(s):** [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)**tripp3235**  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

**Chapter 18: Tell Me**

Nick and Warrick had been working hard to solve the mystery of who stole ‘Adonis in Blue’ from the gallery at the Bellagio. Stephanie Winger had voluntarily given up her prints to no avail. She wasn’t involved as far as they could tell. Their only lead left was her soon-to-be ex-husband and Brass was bringing him in that morning.

Except Nick couldn’t make it.

They’d talked to Ms. Winger before shift had begun and cleared her during the course of the night. As soon as Warrick told Nick they needed to head back over for another interrogation he’d begun to shake his head. He didn’t even get the sentence completely out of his mouth.

“Why not?” Warrick asked, not believing it.

“I can’t,” Nick said again, “I’ve got an appointment.”

”Appointment?” Warrick asked, still not believing it. “For what? Not your arm again...”

”No,” Nick said, “It’s not serious.”

”Then cancel because work is.”

”I can’t,” Nick said shutting his locker, things ready and moving to go.

“What’s this about man?”

“Later,” Nick said with a nod, “I’ll tell you later.”

Warrick nodded and called out to him once more before Nick got too far away.

“What should I tell Brass?”

”That I couldn’t make it,” Nick said with a smile before he left.

Nick walked quickly down the hallway checking his watch as he did. Amy’s appointment was at nine o’clock and it was already past eight. He needed to hurry.

Wasting as little time as possible he unlocked his Jeep and sped out towards the main street in the direction of his house. When he got there Amy was waiting on the porch. She didn’t question the time just got in and gave him a nervous smile.

The drive was quiet and quick and they arrived with fifteen minutes to spare.

It was time they needed because the paperwork was immense. Amy had just finished before the nurse called her name.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Nick asked as it dawned on him they hadn’t discussed it before.

“Yeah,” Amy returned quickly, looking relieved.

The first thing they did was take all her vitals before drawing several vials of blood. Next it was a urine sample and then they waited in a private room for Dr. Foster to join them.

Amy sat on the table swinging her legs, just short enough where she couldn’t quite touch the step.

“Relax,” Nick said squeezing her hand and smiling.

Amy smiled back but looked like she might be sick. They hadn’t asked her to change into a gown, which she thought was a good thing, but wanted to know without any more delay what the news was.

Finally a gentle tap at the door and Dr. Foster came inside.

“Hello,” she said warmly, “Amy nice to see you again. You, I don’t know.”

”Nick Stokes,” he said shaking her hand.

“Well, I know why you’re here,” she said, still friendly and warm, “Have a seat and let’s get right to this.”

Amy took a shaky breath and Nick pulled a chair up beside her still holding her hand.

“The blood test came back positive,” Dr. Foster confirmed, “Given what you told me at your last appointment and what the sample told me I’m estimating you’re about seven weeks pregnant, due in very late April.”

Amy let out a very nervous laugh and put her free hand to her face. Nick turned to her, concerned but not letting go.

“Do you need a minute?” Dr. Foster asked.

“No,” Amy said wiping her face, “No. I’m fine.”

“Have you two discussed your options?” she asked, at once serious. “Would you like me to go through them with you?”

“No,” Amy said still nervous, “I mean, yes we have. We already know we’re keeping the baby.”

”Alright,” she continued, “I’ve got you prenatal vitamins I want you to start immediately. If they give you too much trouble let me know, some women don’t take to them well. I don’t see any reason to limit your activity just no strenuous exercise right now. I’ll need to see you once a month through the first two trimesters, then once every two weeks until the last month. The last month you’ll be having weekly appointments. Do you have any questions for me?”

”Yes,” Amy said nodding now, “I work in a Chem lab, is that safe?”

”What kind of research?”

”DNA typing for the Las Vegas Police.”

”That should be fine. I’ll get you a list of the chemicals to stay away from. I’m assuming you have a fume hood, standard safety precautions all in place.”

”Yes.”

”And do you wear a mask at work?”

”No.”

”Start,” Dr. Foster said firmly enough so that both Nick and Amy nodded. “Anything else?”

Amy and Nick both shook their heads.

“Great,” Dr. Foster said enthusiastically, shaking both their hands again and moving towards the door, “Please go ahead and make your next appointment with Susie. I’ll get that handout for you and those vitamins.”

They were out the door again and in the Jeep in another ten minutes both in a daze.

“What do you think?” Nick asked her quietly.

He hadn’t even started the engine up yet. They’d just sat there in silence still holding each other’s hands.

“That I can’t believe this is actually happening,” Amy finally said.

Nick nodded and looked down, not sure what to say.

“And,” she continued after a pause, “I’m kind of excited.”

He looked up at her, not sure if he trusted that yet.

“Nervous,” she went on, starting to ramble, “but excited. I mean, it’s kind of, wow right?”

Amy finally turned to him and he saw her eyes were bright now, tears hanging off the lower lids but smiling.

“It’s very…” Nick said, smiling and nodding too.

She let out a strangled laugh before leaning over and kissing him.

It was hard to believe they were going to be parents.

****

Greg and Sara decided that night to have breakfast at the house.

As awkward as it might be to have the conversation at the house that was once their home, it would be that much worse trying to really talk with strangers running around them and constant interruptions.

So Sara said she’d bring by some bagels with fixings while Greg raced back to ensure everything was clean. He just remembered to stop on the way and grab a few necessities like milk and juice and butter from the convenience store down the street. Racing into the house the first thing he did was pull together the blanket and pillow he slept with from the couch and throw them into the now completely bare spare room. He was just getting the groceries put away when Sara pulled up.

And man, it was getting ridiculous.

He’d just seen her. They’d had a pretty good night actually after that initial moment. They’d talked and laughed and acted just like they use to. And he felt just like he use to. Like a man with an unconquerable crush.

Sara made her way up the steps and feeling every bit as nervous and uncomfortable as Greg did. Maybe worse. Greg didn’t have an audience the way Sara did. Betty’s curtains fluttered noticeably from across the street making Sara wish she made it inside before Betty made it out.

Greg met her at the door and surprised them both by kissing her cheek and taking the bag from her without ceremony. Stepping back to let her in he fumbled for a split second at the door before taking everything to the kitchen.

Sara looked around and saw much hadn’t changed since the last time she’d been there nearly three months ago.

Greg had called her over then because when he’d finally begun to reorganize the house he’d ran across some more of her things. It had been the first time they’d talked face to face outside of work since their breakup; it was also the first time they’d had sex after their breakup.

They sat down to eat, neither knowing what to say or who should start.

“I’m sorry if I overreacted about Erika,” Sara said, decided to take the initiative.

“Well I’m just sorry about Erika. Period.”

Sara smiled and felt relief. It was pretty easy to see Greg really wasn’t going back to her anytime soon. That even if she had once broken his heart he was past it now.

“I just,” Greg started, picking apart his bagel rather then eating it, “I don’t want you to think that’s the type of woman I like. She wasn’t always like this. Her ex-husband isn’t the greatest guy in the world, not that he deserved… but that’s not important. Josh is like twenty years older then Erika, she was his second wife and he’s already moved on to his newest twenty-year old wife number three.”

“You know her ex?”

“Yeah,” Greg said uneasily, “We’ve met. My parents too.”

Sara nodded and took it in without judging.

“Erika,” Greg said with a sigh, “and this is going to sound stupid, but Erika was the first person to really notice me.”

“That doesn’t sound stupid.”

”Thanks, but considering she’s manipulative as hell…”

Sara laughed.

“I use to think she left me because I told her about the cancer, that I couldn’t have kids. Now I just think that when I told her she realized how serious I was about her and she still thought of it as just a fling.”

Greg stopped and took a drink of his juice, shaking his head.

“I was so stupid,” he said with a laugh, “I should have known but…”

”Love makes you blind,” Sara finished for him.

“No,” he said looking at her directly, “I wasn’t in love with her. I thought I was but it was more like infatuation. I really thought when I moved here I’d be pining away forever but it really only took a month. A month on my own and here and loving my new life and I was okay again. I still can’t believe I moved so far from home just to get away from her. That was crazy.”

”No, not crazy. Crazy is moving here to be near someone who couldn’t return your feelings.”

Greg continued to meet her eyes and she momentarily faltered. She knew Greg could easily guess what she’d meant, but didn’t know how he’d take that. His reactions had kept her quiet for a long time; worried he wouldn’t look at her the same way once he’d learned some truths about her. Worried he might not want someone so damaged when he already had so many problems of his own.

But she saw it there, the flicker of a smile just behind his eyes. Something like relief. Something like happiness.

Greg just reached across the table and took her hands in his, smiling now not just in his eyes.

”Tell me.”


	14. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Beta(s):** [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)**tripp3235**  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_HAPPY THURSDAY!_

**Chapter 19: Tried**

Neither Nick nor Amy could sleep once they got back from the doctor’s appointment. Instead they made pancakes and sat down to decide what to do next.

“So,” Nick said, putting down his fork, “do you feel different?”

”Not really,” Amy answered with a shrug. “Well, I don’t feel bad eating this now, but no. I don’t feel a change.”

”What should we do? Who should we tell?”

Amy put down her fork now too.

“I don’t know. Um, well, I have to tell Grissom. Okay, technically I don’t have to but for safety reasons I should.”

”Do you want me there?”

”No,” Amy said with a slight shake of her head, “I can do that. You’ll just make me nervous.”

Nick smiled at her and began to push the food around his plate.

“You should move in,” he said after a long pause, expecting the worst. “Unless you want to look for something bigger?”

”No,” Amy said, “we don’t need bigger. It’ll just be three of us. Well, four with Baxter. We have two rooms, that’s plenty for now and we really should be saving our money. Babies are expensive. I’ll check into terminating my lease tomorrow.”

Nick nodded and felt relieved. He’d been really worried that living together was going to be a big area of contention with her.

“We should get married too.”

Amy looked at him intently for a full minute before finally laughing.

“Is that how you ask?” she said through a fit of giggles.

Nick stammered and turned red and really didn’t have an answer. It wasn’t how he wanted to ask, it just fell out of his mouth like that.

“I’m sorry,” Amy said after she’d regained her composure, “It’s just, I know we’ve talked about it, but is this really how you want it to be?”

”No,” he said honestly. “Of course not, but don’t you think we should?”

”Why?”

”Because we’re going to have a baby.”

”And?” Amy asked, continuing on before he could answer. “That’s not a good enough reason. Lots of people have babies together and don’t get married.”

”You’re serious?”

”Of course I am,” Amy answered, her face proving it. “I don’t want our child growing up thinking we only got married because we had to.”

”I don’t want our child growing up without a proper family.”

”Nick,” Amy sighed, “she’ll… he’ll… it’s wrong to say it, isn’t it?”

Nick nodded with a small smile finally showing.

“Doesn’t matter,” Amy finished, “the baby will have a family. You’ll still be the dad. I’m not going to keep you off the birth certificate or give the baby a different last name.”

“It’s not that,” Nick argued, “I know you wouldn’t do that. It’s that I should be looking out for you, both of you.”

”You still will be,” Amy contended, “just not in a legally binding fashion.”

”You’ve already decided against this, haven’t you?”

“You’ve already decided for it,” she returned with a shrug.

“I don’t want to fight about this,” Nick said, standing up and clearing their plates.

“Neither do I,” Amy said and he heard the resolve in her voice.

There weren’t going to be any arguments about this. She’d already decided. Amy was a lot more stubborn than she looked, and Nick knew from experience that once she was decided she stayed that way.

Not that he wasn’t going to stop trying.

“So,” Amy said sitting down in the living room, “who should we tell first? Yours or mine?”

”My parents aren’t home until the evening,” Nick said, sitting beside her.

“Chicken,” she teased.

“No,” he reasoned, “I’d just rather have them both together. I’ll call first.”

”Good,” Amy said, “because I am chicken. If yours goes well it’ll give me some backbone.”

Nick laughed softly before yawning.

“Are you coming back in tonight?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said, yawning too. “My parents aren’t home ‘til at least six. We should try to get some sleep.”

”Good idea,” he said, getting to his feet and offering her a hand up.

They both got ready in an easy silence, more tired then either cared to admit and both secretly doubting they’d be able to actually sleep.

Once in bed neither of them spoke for a while until finally Nick broke the silence.

“I’m not giving up, you know.”

Amy turned to him, an inquisitive look on her face before it dawned on her what he’d meant.

“I know.”

”Good,” he said moving closer to her, “because I do want to marry you.”

“Right now you do,” she said with a laugh.

“You don’t believe me?”

”I do,” Amy admitted, absently moving her free hand down his arm, “but if you really wanted to you’d have asked me before. And well, actually asked me.”

She’d laughed at the end, but he stayed serious.

“I’m sorry about that.”

”Don’t be,” she said, sobering at his tone. “It was kind of sweet, but it’s too much right now. I do love you and I’m not saying I don’t ever want to get married. But right now, we already have so much happening; I don’t think we need to add to it.”

”So that’s the only reason why?”

“Yeah,” she answered, moving closer into his arms.

“What about after we have the baby?” he asked, giving her a squeeze.

“What about we just give it a few days and then we can talk about it?”

”I can do that,” he said, finally smiling a real genuine smile before kissing her on the lips.

****

It hadn’t been easy but Sara had managed.

She’d told Greg all about her infatuation with Gil Grissom. How she’d moved to Vegas at a moment’s notice for him. How she’d lived off of his praise, however sparse, for years it seemed. How she’d even tried to replace him with some asshole paramedic even after Nick and Greg had warned her about him. These were not easy things to admit to, even now that it was over. Especially not to someone whose opinion now mattered so much.

And as uncertain of when her infatuation begun, she couldn’t put a finger on when it had ended. It wasn’t like Sara had woken up one day and the feelings were gone. Feelings like that linger and sting but they had faded. Slowly. She knew the change was happening and did her best to help it along. At that time Sara no longer sought that praise or attention, she avoided it. She didn’t look for a replacement, just companionship and was happy to find it already there in her friends, her extended family. Even in the man with whom she’d once been in love.

Greg had listened and understood. No, it wasn’t all easy to hear, but he wasn’t judgmental. He got why she’d been hesitant to tell him now, to open up like this. It really wasn’t an easy thing, but he wished he could make her understand that loving someone, even if they didn’t return that affection, didn’t make her faulty. It didn’t diminish her in his eyes or make her love seem less valuable to him. In fact, Greg felt an odd sense of worth that she had thought of him like this once and maybe she could again.

After she’d finished, the room had been heavy and neither had spoken for some time. Finally, to relieve the tension, Greg began his tale of his first real crush. He knew that what Sara had felt was in no way the same, but since he knew now he’d only really loved her, that story didn’t seem appropriate.

So as they made their way out of the kitchen and into the living room, Greg told her about the first woman he’d really thought the world of. She was smart, pretty, unattached and otherwise perfect in his mind. Sara had smiled in all the right places and laughed when she finally got the details. It wasn’t until he was done with the part where the girl in question let him down easy did he admit that he was fourteen at the time. Or that this ‘girl’ was in fact his twenty-eight year old history teacher.

“And you thought you had a chance?” Sara said between laughs.

“Of course I did,” Greg returned laughing along, “I was very sure of myself then.”

”Then?”

”Well,” he said with a shrug, “It comes and goes. And besides, I bet Ms. Ramos just wishes she could get a hold of me now.”

”She’s what, fourteen years older then you?”

”So.”

Sara gave him a look, not a hard one, but a curious one.

“You know,” she said after a pause, “I think I just realized something about you. Have you ever dated a girl your age? Younger even?”

”I don’t get where you’re headed with this.”

”Well,” Sara interjected, “there’s Ms. Ramos. You used to hit on Catherine all the time. You flirt with Jacqui. Erika. Me.”

”You and I are not that far apart in age,” Greg put in, gently taking hold of her hand in his and rubbing small circles in her palm.

“I’m still older.”

”By a few years, that’s nothing.”

”I’m just wondering,” Sara said with a smile and an upturned eyebrow, still questioning.

Greg gave it some thought and after a few minutes came up blank.

“Can you think of even one?” Sara questioned, still smiling. “What about your girlfriend before me? What was her name? Sandy?”

“Mandy,” Greg corrected. How could he forget? “No, she was a few years older than me too. And let’s not talk about this; I’m starting to feel like I should be calling Dr. Jennings about it.”

”I’m not trying to embarrass you,” Sara said, still laughing.

“But you are certainly enjoying yourself,” Greg countered.

Sara smiled and bit her lips; that was hard to deny.

“I’m sorry,” she said after a pause.

“It’s not weird is it?” Greg asked, completely serious.

“No,” Sara tried to assure him, even as a fresh wave of laughter threatened to overcome her. “It’s not. It’s what you like, there’s nothing wrong with that. I just never thought I’d be the older woman.”

”You say that like you’re an old woman,” Greg returned, moving a bit closer to her as he spoke.

“I didn’t say that,” she said firmly, making him smile despite her stern look.

“I know. That’s why I said ‘like’.”

Sara smiled at that, at his manner. Mostly at the way he was now running his hand up her arm.

“It’s getting late,” she said reluctantly, checking the clock and surprised it was well past noon.

They both worked again that night and neither of them had slept.

“Yeah,” he agreed, reluctantly moving back, “We’ll probably have to go in early. Ecklie might have a controlled burn for us to investigate.”

Sara’s laugh made him laugh in return, but after that they were silent.

“You could stay,” Greg said rather abruptly. “I mean, you shouldn’t be driving after being up for so long. And I can sleep here on the couch.”

”I’m not kicking you out of your bed, Greg.”

”Really,” he said, “it’s no big deal. I won’t sleep right if I know you’re off on those highways running down tourists.”

Sara laughed again, but really didn’t want to put him out.

“How about I take the couch,” Sara offered instead.

Staying would be the smartest thing. Well, not really the smartest but the safest. She had a spare change of clothes in her trunk, she always did. And truth be told, she didn’t think she should be driving either.

“No,” Greg said firmly. “I will. I’m not arguing this.”

Greg didn’t want to tell her that he slept on the couch every day. That he hadn’t been able to sleep in what he thought of as their bed since the last time they’d been in it together.

“Neither am I,” Sara said forcefully, albeit through a yawn.

“All right,” Greg said finally, “we’re being stupid. I’m not letting you sleep on this couch. You hate this thing. And you are obviously not going to let me sleep here either. We can share the bed. We’re adults, right?”

”Right,” Sara said with a short nod.

“Okay,” Greg said, looking very much like he’d expected more arguments.

This wasn’t a good idea. They’d both taken great pains to move slowly. This was not moving slowly. This was temptation. This was risky. This was so appealing that Greg couldn’t think straight.

They both got ready separately. Sara had to borrow a t-shirt and boxer shorts and Greg was actually wearing pajamas. She had to fight off a giggle at the sight, knowing full well that he usually slept in his underwear or whatever he’d been wearing that day if he was too tired to change.

It was a nice day with a good breeze, so Greg had cracked the window. It was a good thing because the noise from the street gave them both a break from the complete silence that had filled the room.

Neither of them had moved beneath the bedspread, instead he’d gotten a light blanket for each of them.

With a quick goodnight and no kiss, they each turned on their sides facing away from each other and tried to sleep.

Tried.


	15. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Thanks must be given to[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[ **tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) who keeps me going on with this epic and optimistically never sees it ending! To [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) who keeps nudging me out of my comfort zone, which I am all to snug in! And to [](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/profile)_[**girlnorth**](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/) who got me here in the first place and continues to help me improve my work! Ladies, thank you all! I don't know what I'd do without you. Okay, enough mush, lets get on with this... 

_...oh, and just under eight hours until the new episode! I'm so excited!_

**Chapter 20: Details**

Nothing had happened.

There had been some touching and kissing, all of it sleep-induced. Sometime in the middle of the day, both blankets had been tossed aside in favor of the warmth of real person. And yes, Greg’s pajama top didn’t last long, although he could never be sure if he’d removed it or if that had been Sara. The recollection was fuzzy and dreamlike and nice. Very nice.

But nothing had really happened.

Still, when Greg woke up sometime after the sun had set, he hadn’t expected to do so alone.

Greg sat up and looked around, confused. The bedroom door was open and he could see that the kitchen light was on. He stood up, stretched, and pulled a t-shirt on before heading down the hall.

He found Sara in the kitchen in her jeans and his shirt standing over the stove cooking. She threw him a smile as she looked over her shoulder before returning to her work.

“I didn’t wake you, did I?” she asked.

“No,” Greg answered, coming up behind her and wrapping her in his arms. “But you should have. Where’d this come from?”

”The store,” she answered, still smiling as he rested his head on her shoulder. “From the looks of the fridge you’ve forgotten where that is.”

”I’m not real good at shopping,” he said, finally moving away and looking around.

She’d bought enough food for a nice pasta dinner, and some basic staples Greg always seemed to miss. He usually only bought milk and cereal when he remembered to get anything at all.

“Dinner should be ready in ten minutes,” Sara said, turning around and leaning against the counter.

“You didn’t have to cook.”

”I know, but I like too.”

Greg smiled back at her, but before he could say anything more the phone rang.

“Excuse me,” he said before answering it with a ‘hello’.

“Greg,” came Karen on the other end, obviously on her cell. He didn’t think she had a house line. “Have you heard the good news?”

”You didn’t join a cult or something, did you?” he joked, moving into the living room.

“You’re so funny,” she said dryly, making him laugh and Sara look up momentarily.

”No,” Karen continued, “about my sister and Nick.”

”So it’s official then?” Greg asked.

“Did they already tell you?” Karen questioned back, sounding disappointed. “They said they hadn’t told anyone yet.”

“Well,” Greg tried to cover, “they hadn’t really. I mean they didn’t know for sure when Nick told me.”

”That’s fine,” she said, obviously still happy and excited. “It’s not important, but celebrating is and that is why I’m on my way to get you.”

”Um,” Greg hesitated, not sure what to say.

“No excuses,” Karen continued with a laugh, “You’ve been brushing me off for weeks. We are going out tonight.”

“Karen,” he said, standing and starting to pace, “now is not a good time.”

“What?” she asked, half-serious. “Are you not even dressed yet? Greg, it’s nearly seven.”

”It’s not that…”

”Tell me when I’m inside,” she said and the line went dead.

Greg knew what that meant; she was already here. He looked at Sara, who, judging by the look on her face, knew what most of the conversation had held.

”I can go,” she said, and before he could respond there was a knock on the door.

Greg took in a breath and went to it.

“Karen,” he said opening the door only part of the way, “now really isn’t the best time for this.”

”You’re being weird,” Karen said. “This is the kind of thing you have to celebrate. We’ll go to dinner…”

”I can’t,” he said, still not moving from the doorway.

“Of course you can,” she countered. “You don’t work for hours.”

“Can’t we do this another night, all of us?” he asked, trying to find a way out.

“Yeah, but it’s not the same if we don’t go tonight. And trust me, now is not the time for Nick and Amy to be going out. They were getting ready to call my parents and that is not going to go well.”

Greg said nothing and Karen looked up at him expectantly.

“Are you going to let me in?” she asked.

Reluctantly, he stepped back to allow her access.

“I guess Nick’s parents took it well,” Karen was saying as she stepped inside, abruptly stopping when she caught sight of Sara, who had tried to fade as much as she could into the kitchen.

“You have company,” Karen said, still staring at Sara, clearly shocked. “I should go.”

Karen moved back towards the door before it could even register in Greg’s mind. He gave Sara a quick glance before turning to go after Karen.

“Karen,” he said catching her just in front of her car, “I’m sorry.”

”For what?” she asked, but it sounded odd. “You could have just said you had company. It’s not like…”

Karen trailed off, took a deep breath and shook her head once before forcing a smile.

“I’m happy for you,” she said, “This is great that you two are back together. Really.”

”I’d have told you sooner but…”

“Greg,” Karen said, cutting him off, “you don’t owe me an explanation. This is great. I know how much you care for her. It’s great.”

Greg rubbed his hand across his forehead, clearly at a loss for what to do or say.

“We’ll do dinner another night,” she stammered, moving towards the driver’s side, “All of us. Sara too. Okay?”

Greg nodded and Karen smiled.

“I’ll see you later,” she said before getting in her car.

Greg waved once and watched her drive off before going back inside.

“Amy’s going to kill me,” was the first thing he said to Sara, who was still sitting at the table.

“It’s not your fault.”

”There’s nothing going on between us,” Greg tried explaining as he sat down opposite her, “between Karen and I, but I kind of knew and I should have said something to her sooner. She’s a good person and I just didn’t think…”

Greg pressed his forehead to the table, not sure what to do now. This was a mess.

“That she liked you that much,” Sara offered, taking his hand.

“Yeah.”

”It’ll work out,” Sara said.

“She’s a good friend. I don’t want to lose that.”

”You won’t.”

Greg finally lifted his head up and smiled at her.

“I hope you’re right.”

****

When Greg got to work that night he was relieved to find Nick alone in the locker room. Sara had gone home not long after they’d had dinner together, and despite the awkwardness that Karen had unintentionally caused, things had gone very well. Still, Greg knew he had to address the issue with Amy, and to a degree Nick, before long.

“So I hear congratulations are in order,” Greg said, tapping him on the shoulder and sliding onto the bench opposite him.

“Karen tell you already?” Nick asked, smiling.

“Yeah,” Greg returned, looking down, “It’s great news.”

”Not everyone thinks so,” Nick said, shutting his locker.

“Yours or hers?”

”Hers. Well, her mom. She cried.”

”That doesn’t mean…”

”No man, I know the difference,” Nick cut him off. “My mom cried too, but hers was that ‘thank goodness you’re finally settling down’ type of cry. Her mom was mad.”

”She’ll get over it.”

”I hope so,” Nick sighed.

“How’d Amy take it?”

”The news, or her mother freaking out on her?”

”Both,” Greg answered.

“She’s excited about the baby. She’s telling Grissom now; her OB wants her wearing a mask and is limiting some of her lab work. Amy hasn’t really talked about her mom yet. Her dad seemed pretty happy, which is good.”

”Yeah, it is.”

Just then Amy walked in and sat down near Greg, directly opposite Nick giving them both a wan smile.

“How’d that go?”

”That?” Amy questioned. “That was nothing. Although I think I actually freaked him out. Grissom had this look on his face like he didn’t understand why I was telling him. I’m not sure if he thought I was there to ask him to tell you or what.”

Nick and Greg both laughed, knowing how awkward Griss could be with situations like that.

“But he said congratulations and told me to take it easy.”

“So are you two telling people now or what?” Greg asked, momentarily forgetting his dilemma.

“Sure, why not,” Amy said with a sigh, “It’s not like anyone is going to react as badly as my mother did. I was going to tell Sara when she came in tonight.”

”Sara already knows,” Greg said, causing them to both look at him at once.

“She was there when Karen stopped by,” Greg continued. “I wanted to talk to you about that. I don’t think Karen is going to be very happy with me for a while.”

”Oh,” Amy said, dragging the word out.

“So are you and Sara back together?” Nick asked, momentarily skipping over the issue.

“I’m not sure,” Greg answered truthfully, “but probably. Yeah, probably.”

”I’ll talk to Karen,” Amy said with a nod, “She’ll be all right.”

”I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

”I know that,” Amy said, slapping his arm. “I know you didn’t. We’ll talk. She’ll be fine. Really. She’s tough. And no offense, but she hasn’t really met a lot of men here yet. She was kind of thrown in with you a lot, she’ll move on.”

”I’m not offended,” Greg said, really meaning it. “I hope she does.”

”Maybe we could set her up with Charlie,” Nick suggested. “He’s single.”

Greg and Amy exchanged glances.

“You want to tell him, or should I?” Greg asked with a smirk.

“Rock, paper, scissors?” Amy asked, still turned to Greg.

Nick looked at the two of them like they might be insane, but they paid him no mind. Just counted down from three before Greg beat her, rock over scissors.

“Two out of three,” Amy said, causing Greg to roll his eyes.

Once more they played the game. Once more Greg won, paper over rock.

“You’re so predictable,” he said, grinning.

“Fine,” Amy sighed, turning to Nick who now looked really confused. “How do I say this? Karen isn’t Charlie’s type.”

”What do you mean? Karen’s nice, she’s smart and funny…”

“I can’t believe they pay you to be an investigator,” Greg laughed.

“What?” Nick asked, getting more than a little agitated.

Amy couldn’t help but laugh too.

“She’s not his type,” Amy repeated, emphasis on the ‘she’.

Nick looked from Amy to Greg and back again, getting it. Not sure if they were pulling his leg as they had on numerous occasions before.

“Really?”

Greg just shook his head, still laughing. Clapping Nick once on the shoulder, he made his way out the door without another word.

“Really?” Nick asked Amy again.

“Does it change who he is?”

“No,” Nick said firmly, “I just thought I’d know if, well…”

”Now you do,” Amy said.

Nick nodded and tried to take it in.

“You’re not going to get all weird around him are you?”

“No,” Nick said, meaning it. “I’m not. I just, why did he tell you?”

”Because he thought I’d understand.”

Nick nodded. Charlie had become a part of their circle of friends. He’d gone out with them several times and he did seem to take a liking to Amy. And Greg. They were closer to him then Nick was and it only made sense that he’d tell them.

“I won’t say anything,” Nick said, standing up.

“Good,” Amy said, “Because we really shouldn’t have told you.”

”Well I’m glad you did before I tried getting him to ask your sister out.”

Amy laughed and winked at him.

“Come on,” she said pulling him towards the door. “We’ve got work to do.”

“So why did he tell Greg?” Nick asked.

“That,” she said as they stopped in front of the break room, “I don’t know.”

Amy gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading off to DNA, leaving Nick wondering what else he didn’t know about his co-workers.


	16. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_This took awhile to get out. I've been fairly sick and we've been rather busy around the house. Thanks again to[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[ **tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) , [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/profile)_[**girlnorth**](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/) for your help and support. :) 

_and because it's been so long....[Previous Chapters Found Here](http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=slynn6776&keyword=Appreciation&filter=all)_

_Had you come some other day_  
Then it might not have been like this  
But you see now I'm too much in love

**‘If I Needed Someone’ by the Beatles**

Chapter 21: Needed

The news of Nick and Amy’s status as expectant parents spread seemingly of its own accord throughout the lab. Amy found that she was being continuously interrupted by well wishers, some she barely knew, most wanting to know when they were getting married. Amy smiled, thanked them and avoided the topic as best she could. For Nick it was much the same.

Also that night came word that Brass had arrested Stephanie Winger’s soon to be ex-husband Jason Webber and his new girlfriend Tammy Johansson. He and Warrick had confronted them that morning separately and while he’d been calm and collected, she had completely freaked out. After that they matched the prints and the case was considered closed.

With the case closed, Greg had expected Grissom to take him off the arson case in favor of Nick, but that hadn’t happened. Instead he put all three of them on it and the double homicide in an effort to speed things up. So far, they’d had little luck with either.

The night passed quickly without much more being accomplished and Greg found himself back in the locker room getting ready to leave. He was purposefully taking his time, hoping to catch Sara, but knew he couldn’t just hang out in front of his locker all morning.

Finally he had to go. Heading down the hall he couldn’t help smiling as he saw Sara round the corner in front of him.

“I was looking for you,” she said, matching his smile with one of her own.

“Really?”

”Yes,” she answered. “I wanted to see if you might want to grab dinner later.”

”Sure,” he said with a nod, “that sounds great. Do you want me to come by…”

”No,” she cut him off. “I’ll pick you up. How’s five? Maybe we’ll go down to the strip and watch the tourists lose their money.”

”You know what I like,” Greg said, causing her to clear her throat and look down.

“I’ll see you then,” she said after a pause.

“Okay,” he agreed, touching her shoulder briefly before continuing down the hall.

Greg turned around once more and was happy to see she’d done the same. Waving goodbye, he rounded the last corner before the lobby, still walking backwards and feeling elated.

On the way back to the house Greg stopped at a drive-thru for breakfast. Once home he found that he’d just missed his mom on the phone. She’d left a longer than normal message, a subtle hint that he hadn’t been calling enough. Deciding to get it over with or next she’d be calling his cell at work, he picked up the phone and dialed her in San Francisco.

He ended up on the phone with her for just over an hour. Greg was careful to avoid any talk of Sara. It wasn’t that his mother wouldn’t have been thrilled to hear they were attempting to work things out; it was that she’d likely be so excited that she’d push him to call her now. Maggie Sanders might even call Sara herself if she thought it would help, and Greg did not want that.

After he’d finally hung up with her, he tried to settle down and get some sleep but the phone rang again. This time it was Dr. Jennings. She wanted to know why he’d missed his appointment yesterday and he had to truthfully tell her he’d forgotten. He’d go into the details of why later, at their next session. She seemed okay with that. Dr. Jennings was keeping a closer than usual eye on him since he’d split with Sara and started the sleeping pills. Greg didn’t mind, he knew it was part of her job.

Greg changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt before taking his meds and lay out on the couch. It wasn’t long before he was sound asleep.

It felt like only minutes later that he was awoken by the sound of knocking at the door. Standing and stretching and without checking the time he moved to answer it.

“Did you just get up?” Sara asked once he’d opened the door, too shocked to say anything else.

Greg rubbed his face and then finally checked the clock in the kitchen; shocked himself to see it was after five.

“I’m sorry,” he said, moving back to let her in, “I didn’t realize.”

Sara nodded and gave him a weak smile. He looked exhausted.

Greg moved quickly now to pick up his pillow and blanket from the couch, tucking them under an arm to clear her a spot to sit down.

“Give me twenty minutes,” he said, already backing up towards the master bedroom. “Twenty minutes, I swear, and I’ll be ready. I’m so sorry.”

”Greg, it’s fine. Take your time, it’s not like we have reservations.”

He gave her a smile and then hurried away.

Sara relaxed as best she could, wondering briefly why Greg was sleeping on the couch. She skimmed the bookshelf before picking up his copy of ‘The Forensics Journal’ off of the end table and flipping through that while she waited.

Before Greg was back there was another knock at the door. Sara hesitated only a moment to make sure Greg wasn’t on his way out; after all he really should be the one to answer it but after a second knock she felt she didn’t have any choice.

Sara opened the door and immediately frowned.

“Well,” Erika said, equally as surprised as Sara was, “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Sara took in her attire, saw that she was obviously ready for a night out and then remembered the re-opening of the gallery was scheduled for tonight.

“Can I help you?” Sara finally asked.

“I was hoping to talk to Greg.”

”He’s not really available right now.”

”Oh,” Erika returned and it was the first time Sara had ever seen her even slightly discomposed. “I can wait.”

Sara, not really at liberty to tell her she couldn’t, reluctantly stepped back and let her in.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Sara asked, moving toward the kitchen.

“No,” Ericka answered, “thank you.”

Sara opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water she’d bought yesterday, leaning against the counter and trying to think of a situation worse than this.

“You certainly know your way around here,” Erika remarked after a long pause.

“I should,” was all Sara allowed in return.

Erika didn’t like that answer. She’d obviously been hoping for some explanation involving co-workers or friendship to explain that away, but Sara wasn’t about to give her that satisfaction. Sara felt a twinge of guilt at having made the other woman so uncomfortable, but it was a small one. After all, Erika had been doing the same to her, worse even, from almost the moment she’d laid eyes on her.

“So are you two going out tonight?” Erika asked after an even longer pause.

“Yes, we are.”

”He didn’t tell me he had plans.”

”But he didn’t make any with you either,” Sara returned, “did he?”

“Greg’s a last minute type of person,” Erika said, returning to the living room and sitting on the couch.

“I’m pretty sure I know what type of person Greg is,” Sara said, following her out but still standing. “And I’m pretty sure I know what type of person you are.”

”Really?”

”Yeah, really,” Sara answered as evenly as she could, considering how angry she’d become.

“Well, do tell,” Erika said with a laugh. “I’m really interested to know what an investigator thinks of me. Or would you rather I tell you about yourself? About where this little fling of yours is headed? Do you want to hear it now or be surprised when you find yourself cast off?”

Sara practically fumed. She didn’t like that this woman presumed to know so much about her, or Greg, or their relationship as she did. She didn’t like her attitude, her air, or her overall sense of entitlement. Sara had had enough.

“No,” Sara said shaking her head, “you know what, just get out.”

”What?” Erika asked in disbelief, standing and staring at her.

“You heard me,” Sara repeated louder, “get out.”

”You can’t…”

”I can’t?” Sara cut off sharply. “Oh, I can’t? I don’t know what you think you know about Greg and me, but this is my house too. My name, next to his, on the deed.”

”You live here?” Erika asked, clearly not believing it.

“I do,” Sara lied. It was the easiest lie she’d ever told. “And I don’t want you here anymore. Get out.”

Erika stopped, her face going from shocked to nearly pleased in a half a moment.

“Well?” Erika asked.

Sara, confused for a moment, suddenly realized Erika wasn’t talking to her. Turning around Sara saw Greg standing there, shoes in hand, looking so bewildered she would have laughed if she hadn’t been so terrified of how he was going to react. Of what he might say to this. She knew he didn’t care about Erika any more, but how was he going to take Sara still laying claim to him and what was really his house? She had no right to, not anymore, no matter how far they’d come in the last week.

Greg recovered quickly enough, moved further down the hall and to Sara’s shock straight past her and to Erika. The smug smile on Erika’s face was nearly unbearable, that is until it vanished. Greg moved not only past Sara, but past Erika as well and straight to the door to pull it open.

“Greg?” Erika questioned, turning to him still stunned.

“You heard her,” he said looking her straight in the eyes, “this is Sara’s house too and she doesn’t want you here. Neither do I.”

Erika didn’t stammer or argue. With one last glare at Sara, she turned and was gone, Greg shutting the door behind her.

Sara looked at Greg and tried to gauge if he’d really meant that or not. Maybe it was just something he’d said to get rid of Erika.

“Greg,” Sara started to say but was quickly cut off.

He’d dropped his shoes at the door and made it over to her in five quick steps, pulling her into his arms and kissing her like she’d only remembered him doing.

“What was that for?” Sara asked, still reeling from the experience after they’d broken apart.

“I don’t know,” Greg said honestly with a laugh. “I just, I heard you say that this… that you…I don’t know.”

Sara laughed too and smiled, arms still wrapped around his waist. Greg moved his hands through her hair and onto her back, pulling her even closer as he did so. They momentarily locked eyes and that’s all it took. They both leaned in at the same time, lips meeting eagerly in the middle, once more engaged in a tight embrace.

Sara wasn’t aware that they’d begun to move down the hall, she was just completely lost in his touch. It wasn’t until they were actually in the bedroom, his shirt lost along the way, and hers nearly removed that she pulled back.

“Greg,” she questioned, “I didn’t think…”

But her stopping hadn’t stopped him. Not much. Instead of kissing her lips, he’d just moved and begun to trail them down her neck instead. Gasping as he sucked the spot high on her neck, just below her ear before pulling away and whispering into her ear to ask her ‘what’.

“I thought we were taking this slow,” she answered, her breaths coming heavier now as she pressed her forehead to his.

“We were,” he said before kissing her again.

“Were?” she asked, her voice a near giggle.

He laughed with her, pulling her back to him, kissing her harder this time.

“I love you, Sara,” he said when he finally broke off. “I love you and I don’t want to keep pretending I don’t feel this.”

Sara looked into his eyes, darker then they should be and much more serious than she remembered.

“I love you too.”

The corners of his mouth twitched into a smile briefly before he captured her lips again. There was nothing more for either of them to say.


	17. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_So many people to thank, so little time... that's not entirely true. I guess I could take as much time as I wanted couldn't I? *grin* So, thanks to[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) , [](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/profile)[**girlnorth**](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)! Right now, I see this being just about thirty chapters but we'll see.

**Chapter 22: Into the Night**

Sara jolted awake and looked around the pitch black room.

“Go back to sleep,” Greg mumbled, gently pulling her back into his arms. “I set the alarm.”

“I’m just not used to being asleep this late,” Sara said, still sounding on edge.

Greg laughed softly against her neck, arms wrapped around her waist.

“Why is that funny?” she asked, casting him a look over her shoulder.

“Because it’s so you,” he answered, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her spine. “You need to relax. We’re not going to be late.”

“I know,” she protested, making him laugh again.

“Yeah, but you’re thinking it right?”

Sara didn’t answer him, just tried not to think about it. Her silence just provoked Greg further.

“Are you worried that we’ll fall asleep again? Wondering if I set the alarm for a.m. or p.m.? That we’ll end up four hours late and…”

Sara sat up and looked at the clock, unable to take it any more.

It was just after ten. They still had plenty of time before they had to be at the lab.

Greg sat up next to her and smiled.

“I told you,” he said, kissing her on the cheek and lying back down.

“I can’t help it,” she commented, letting her head rest against his chest.

Greg said nothing, just enjoyed the sensation of being close to her.

“What time did you set it to go off for?” Sara asked after a pause.

“Ten-thirty,” he answered, running a hand through her hair. “That gives us an hour to get ready and get going. Plenty of time.”

Sara nodded gently and he smiled, finally feeling the tension leave her body as she sunk further into him.

“Um,” Sara said after a pause, tentatively, “at the risk of sounding pathetic…what exactly does this mean?”

Greg tilted his head to look into her eyes with an inquisitive expression on his face.

“I mean,” Sara clarified, “this…is this just…”

”No,” Greg cut in, understanding what she was saying. “No Sara, it’s not…it’s not. I mean I know we still have some things to work out but I’m…I’m…I’m really fumbling horribly for words right now…”

Sara laughed and Greg gave her a weak smile.

“I think I understand.”

”Good,” he said, obviously relieved. “I just don’t know if this is too soon or not soon enough.”

”I think we’re doing fine,” Sara said, rubbing her hand across his chest.

“So if I asked you to move back in…”

”That might be rushing things.”

”What if I asked you to spend every day and night with me?” Greg asked, not giving up that quickly.

Sara laughed softly.

“We can stay here or at your place,” he continued.

Sara was still laughing. She knew he was being at least partially serious, but couldn’t help it. He had a way of taking serious subjects and making them sound anything but.

“Okay, okay,” he relented, “at least spend tomorrow with me.”

”That sounds good,” she said, leaning up and kissing him.

For a moment they just lay there in silence. Content to just be close to each other.

“Are we really okay?” Greg asked.

“Yeah,” Sara answered. “I think so.”

”Are you sure you don’t want to move back in?”

Sara turned and propped herself up so that she could once more look in his eyes.

“I just,” he continued, “I don’t want to be apart from you anymore.”

“Neither do I.”

”Then move in,” he said with a laugh, like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“I would,” Sara said firmly, “I really would Greg but I’m just worried that…”

”That I’ll change my mind?” he asked as a joke.

”Yes.”

Greg stared at her in disbelief. He knew how hurt he’d been but he hadn’t realized until now how hurt she’d been as well.

“I’m not going to change my mind.”

****

Sara and Greg made it into work on time that night, driving in together in her car. They’d agreed to spend the next day at her place, so Greg had packed a bag to take with him.

They went straight to the break room only to find Amy on her cell phone sitting at the table, obviously not able to get a word in. Nick was directly across from her, holding her hand; it was the only support he could offer.

Greg and Sara sat down on the couch and continued to talk softly to each other, trying not to cause a disturbance.

After a few minutes Amy finally said she ‘had to go’ and hung up with a quick ‘goodbye’. Sighing, she shut the phone and set it on the table.

“She’s unbelievable,” Amy finally said.

“She’ll come around,” Nick offered, squeezing her hand.

“I doubt it,” Amy continued, looking down as she spoke. “She’s just…I…I can’t even…”

Amy trailed off and seemed to notice that they weren’t alone any more. She gave Greg and Sara a weak smile and they each said hello in return.

“How are you feeling?” Greg asked.

“Better,” Amy answered with a nod. “The vitamins help. They help a lot but I’m still dragging. And wearing that mask in the lab is driving me nuts.”

Greg laughed, understanding. He’d hardly ever worn one inside the lab because it seemed to restrict his breathing and made him feel even more claustrophobic than before.

Grissom and Catherine made their way into the room and Amy excused herself to the lab. They had a new arson case. Grissom wanted Sara, Nick and Greg to go investigate it right away. This time the fire was at an abandoned house and had failed to start. The arsonist had fled the scene before the police could apprehend him, but because the building had not burned down this was going to be their best chance to collect evidence.

The three of them made their way to the locker room to gather their things, talking and laughing as they went.

Nick stopped to say goodbye to Amy while Greg stopped to get a new memory card for his camera. In the meantime Sara signed out a vehicle and headed to the garage. Nick and Greg soon joined her and, after stowing their things, got inside. Sara drove while Greg rode shotgun. Nick didn’t complain, just got into the back seat behind Sara.

“I called Charlie,” Greg said as soon as they’d pulled out of the garage. “He’s still at the scene but most of the other officers have left now.”

“Did he think this one was real?” Sara asked.

“Yeah,” Greg answered. “He did an initial sweep. Said you can smell the kerosene and that there were newspapers left just like the last few.”

“Maybe we’ll get lucky this time and we’ll get some prints,” Nick offered.

“We’re going to need more than luck,” Sara returned.

“Can we stop for coffee?”

Sara and Nick both gave Greg a look to which he shrugged.

“What?” he questioned. “I’m thirsty and tired. I need coffee.”

Sara smiled and shook her head.

“You should have stopped on the way in to work then,” Nick said with a laugh.

“I wanted to but Sara…”

Greg stopped abruptly and looked out the passenger’s side window, thinking he’d said too much. He’d talked to Nick before about the fact that he and Sara were fixing things between them, but he didn’t really know how Sara felt about others knowing. Nick didn’t say anything, just kept quiet, not wanting to embarrass either of them.

“If we’d have stopped we’d have been late,” Sara said after a slight pause. “Plus you wanted to go to that coffee shop clear across town.”

Greg turned and smiled at her.

“I like their coffee.”

Sara smiled back at him.

“I know you do.”

”Okay,” Nick said after clearing his throat, “not to interrupt this moment you two are having, but Sara that light has been green for half a minute now.”

Sara’s face flushed in the darkness of the cab as she moved through the intersection. It wasn’t long after that she felt Greg take hold of her free hand and squeeze it once before intertwining his fingers with hers. He didn’t let go until she stopped the SUV for good. Nick, if he noticed, didn’t say anything about it.

When they pulled up at the scene Charlie was alone.

“I didn’t expect half the lab,” he said upon seeing all three of them there.

“Well,” Greg said with a smile, “it’s your lucky night. Not only do you get half the lab, but you get the best half.”

Charlie laughed and after they’d retrieved their cases began to relate the details of the case.

“Got a call tonight about a possible fire,” he said. “By the time emergency personnel made it here it had burnt itself out. Neighbor called it in but didn’t see anyone at the house. This place has been deserted for at least five or six years but is finally back on the market.”

“Kind of secluded for a neighbor to see a fire,” Nick questioned, “isn’t it?”

”That’s what I thought,” Charlie said with a nod. “The neighbor, James Dirk, lives further down the road. He was on his way home at the time. He’s worth looking into.”

”So,” Sara asked, “how do we want to do this?”

Greg and Nick looked once at each other and then back to her.

“I’ll take the outside,” Nick finally said. “If Charlie doesn’t mind sticking around, he can give me a hand.”

”That’s why I’m here,” he agreed with a nod.

“So that leaves you and me the inside,” Sara said, turning to Greg.

They both looked up at the house. It was fairly big, two stories even, but completely rundown.

“I’m ready,” Greg said.

With that and a reminder to stay in touch via cell phone, Sara and Greg said a quick ‘goodbye’ to Charlie and Nick and headed inside.

The night was going to be longer than any of them could imagine.


	18. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_I'm trying something new with the next few chapters. I hope you like it. Thanks once more to[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) , [](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/profile)[**girlnorth**](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) for your help!

**Chapter 23: Into the Woods**

Nick and Charlie watched as Sara and Greg went into the house through the front door.

“Where to first?” Charlie asked.

“Let’s start out here and work our way around back.”

Charlie nodded. He wasn’t going to be collecting, just watching and hopefully learning more about what crime scene analysts did.

The house was in obvious disrepair and looked as if it had been broken in and out of several times. The yard, which they were presently combing through, was equally bad. Overgrown and littered with trash of all kinds.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Charlie said after a brief pause.

“News traveled that fast?”

”You’d be surprised,” Charlie answered, shaking his head. “Brass told me, actually. Heard it from Grissom I think.”

Nick nodded and smiled.

“Amy wanted to tell you when she saw you next but…”

”Its fine,” Charlie said waving him off, “you don’t have to give me an excuse. I’m sure you’ve both got other people to worry about. I’m just happy for the both of you.”

“Thanks man.”

“So,” Charlie said, scanning the weeds with his flashlight, “how do you tell what’s relevant?”

“In all this?” Nick questioned with a smirk. “It won’t be easy. Most of it looks too old, worn, like it’s been here too long to be important.”

“New trash,” Charlie commented, mostly to himself. “Got it.”

Nick kept looking, but smiled at that.

After looking through the front yard they moved to the right side, deciding to sweep the building counterclockwise. So far they’d yet to find so much as an errant footprint. As they did Charlie’s phone, set to near silent, rang and he stepped back a few feet to answer it. Nick continued on toward the back of the house.

Nick was just beginning to think they’d never find anything when he spotted a small stack of newspapers very near the back, at the corner. Snapping off a few photos, he reached down and flipped through them. There were at least three papers there, all from the last week.

Taking a few steps back to get a wider shot of the photos, the back yard just in view, Nick just caught movement in his peripheral sightline.

Casting a quick glance up, he saw Greg.

It was just Greg on the back porch looking out into the wooded backyard.

On second glance, he saw it wasn’t Greg.

The man caught his eye this time. Stared at him for half a minute and Nick knew what he was going to do. He was calling out to the man even as he began to run after him. Charlie, a few feet away from Nick still and unable to see the intruder immediately shut the phone and went for his gun, following Nick into the backyard. Charlie too called out for the man to stop, making sure to identify himself as a police officer before continuing in the pursuit.

The man had a good head start. He jumped the chain link fence that surrounded the house and went straight into a wooded thicket. Nick and Charlie didn’t have much of a problem following him at first, but soon it began to get difficult. The man was still running fast, but they could hear him just ahead of them.

The terrain changed as well. The house, they hadn’t realized, was located near a creek.

Nick and Charlie slid down the incline and came to rest at the bottom.

It was absolutely still.

Nick took a moment to un-holster his gun as quietly as he could. Charlie made eye contact with him and indicated with a nod that he’d go left. Nick nodded once in return and turned to the right.

Nick moved carefully forward, scanning the bushes as best he could on either side. The creek bed didn’t have traditional high walls but more weather worn sloped ones on either side.

Finally, after several yards and tense minutes, Nick saw what he needed to see. White sneakers.

Leveling his gun, the action alone catching Charlie’s attention, he got ready.

“Step out slowly,” he said, loudly after clearing his throat. “Get your hands in the air and come out. Now.”

”Okay, okay,” came a much younger voice than he’d anticipated. “Just don’t shoot me.”

Charlie was now standing off to the side, gun leveled at the sound of the voice. He waited until the man cleared the bushes and was standing several feet in front of Nick, hands in the air, before putting it away and taking out his handcuffs.

He stepped over to the man, not much more than a boy, and put the cuffs on him one at a time.

“How old are you?” Charlie asked once they were secure.

“Sixteen,” the kid stuttered.

Nick shook his head and put his own gun away, not believing this was happening.

“Right now I’m placing you in custody for evading the police. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good. What’s your name?” Charlie continued to ask.

“I don’t have to tell you, do I?”

“It’s up to you,” Charlie said, shaking his head and mentally cursing cop shows everywhere, “but this will be easier if I can at least get that.”

“No way.”

”Have it your way,” Charlie returned before turning him around and patting him down for weapons.

In the process he found a wallet. Charlie opened it up and took out the driver’s license.

“Okay John Davenport,” Charlie said, pocketing the wallet for the time being, “let’s get you to my car and place you under arrest. You know your rights but you know I’ve still got to read them to you for it to be legal, right? Let’s get started.”

Nick led the way as the three of them made the slow journey back toward the house. All the time Charlie was reading the teenager his rights and Nick was shaking his head. He wasn’t sure why the kid was there, probably the house was a local hangout, but that wasn’t important. What was important was that this kid wasn’t that big of a threat, especially now that he was under arrest. They’d had perpetrators return to scenes before and it hadn’t always been this easy.

As they finally came up the embankment Nick froze completely in his tracks.

“What’s the…” Charlie had started to ask but stopped immediately upon seeing it for himself.

The house that they’d just been at probably twenty minutes ago was now completely engulfed in flames.

They hadn’t seen it from where they’d been but now they could. Now it was easy to see, burning bright before them.

Charlie hesitated only a second before pulling his phone out and dialing nine-one-one to report the fire.

Nick had other ideas.

He turned immediately to the teenager in custody and nearly hit the roof to see that he actually had a smile on his face.

“Did you do this?” he questioned loudly, stepping into his space.

John Davenport didn’t answer, but he did step back. And he laughed.

“Did you do this?” Nick practically yelled this time. “My friends…”

Charlie hung up his phone and pulled their suspect back, stepping between the two of them before Nick got out of hand.

“Calm down,” Charlie said, “they’re probably out. Fire engines are already on their way. They got a call not long ago about the fire, that had to have been one of them.”

Nick turned back to the building, astonished. The entire back of the building was in flames.

They made their way carefully toward the front, staying as close as they dared and looking for both Greg and Sara as they went without luck. They could hear the sirens now as the trucks began to pull onto the scene.

Charlie was quick to lock their only suspect in his car once they made it to the front of the house. Nick was still staring at the house, the front of which was also on fire.

“They didn’t get out,” he said under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief.

Charlie was already talking with the fire chief, explaining the situation and indicating that two CSI’s were believed still inside.

As the fire truck unloaded and began to initially douse the building, an ambulance and two police cruisers pulled onto the scene.

Nick knew he was in shock and he knew that he needed to snap out of it. Quickly. It wasn’t easy to do. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

It seemed like forever before the firemen were able to really begin on the building.

He couldn’t hear anything between the roar of the fire and the blaring of the sirens. All he could do was wait, and he hated to wait.

But it looked like they were making progress.

The flames weren’t as high as they had been and finally, firemen were going inside, but only two.

Nick began to pace. Charlie felt his frustration; he was frustrated himself. He knew that Nick was close to both Greg and Sara and couldn’t imagine it. Hell, he was fairly close to Greg. All there was to do now was hope.

After an eternity of waiting the doorway was silhouetted with the outline of two men, one nearly dragging the other. This time Nick knew there was no mistake; it was clearly Greg with him.

The fireman took him just down the steps before handing him over to two other waiting firemen and then rushing back inside himself.

Nick moved forward but Charlie held him by the arm, refusing to let him go further. At first Nick began to pull out of his grip before it dawned on him why. They hadn’t moved Greg to the ambulance; they’d instead laid him out on the grass.

The two men watched from a distance as the paramedics moved in with oxygen and began to work on Greg.

Nick didn’t see any burns on Greg, which was good, but he also didn’t see Greg’s chest moving.

Without realizing it, he found he was mumbling ‘come on’ under his breath as he began to pace.

The paramedics weren’t giving him CPR though, not yet. Oddly enough, they’d propped up his legs. Nick couldn’t help but move closer and saw that Greg was at least breathing, albeit shallowly. He couldn’t tell if Greg was conscious or not until he heard the paramedic nearest him ask a question and just caught a slight head nod in return.

Relief flooded over him.

Greg was alive and communicating, for now that was enough.

Turning his attention back to the house, he wondered what was taking so long to bring out Sara.

As he was looking away he heard a low gasp drawing him back to Greg. They’d injected him with something and were hooking him up to an oxygen mask.

The man that had been between the two of them now stood and moved back towards the ambulance, presumably to retrieve a gurney. As he did Nick saw that Greg’s eyes were open now and that he was looking straight at him.

Nick watched as Greg mouthed a word over and over, but with the mask he couldn’t tell what it was. Unable to stand back any longer, Nick moved over and leaned down next to him and just as he knelt down he realized what Greg had been saying. What he’d been asking.

‘Sara’.

Greg was looking at him, hopeful for an answer, still moving his lips to form her name beneath the mask.

Nick didn’t have the words for it. Couldn’t say it. Couldn’t tell Greg that she wasn’t out yet. But he didn’t have to.

He gave one fleeting glance back to the house and Greg knew for himself.


	19. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_I'm losing myself in this. I thought I had already posted this chapter. My bad. Also, this is entirely my doing. Well,[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) , [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) and [](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/profile)_[**girlnorth**](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/) helped but are in no way are responsible for the outcome. Everyone good and freaked out now? Awesome. On with the show... 

**Chapter 24: Into the Dark**

_Nick and Charlie watched as Sara and Greg went into the house through the front door._

Once inside Sara immediately shook her head at the smell.

“Charlie wasn’t kidding,” she commented. “Our firebug must have drenched this place in kerosene.”

Greg nodded, he smelled it as well.

They both took a quick look around. To the right was a small living room where the only scorch marks visible were found. To the left a dining room was partitioned off by double doors. In the back of the house were the kitchen and a small family room that led to where the back porch stood and was also where the staircase was found.

“Okay,” Sara said after their initial walkthrough, “do you want top or bottom?”

“Sara, I thought we weren’t going to talk about sex at work.”

Sara grinned at him and shook her head once more.

“I’ll take upstairs,” she said with a smile.

Greg laughed as he watched her head off towards the stairway before setting to work himself.

He began in the living room. It was the obvious spot since it was where the fire had been. Unfortunately, as obvious of a spot as it was, it still yielded very little in terms of evidence.

Greg found, photographed and bagged another bottle similar to the ones found at the other scenes near the burn marks, but other than that there wasn’t much to the room.

He scraped samples of the burned wood for trace, hoping it would give them something, but not really optimistic. So far they’d come up empty in that department and after getting several more shots of the room he made his way across the foyer to the dining room.

The doors were stuck. The left appeared broken and unmovable, and after much maneuvering Greg managed to get the right one working and was able to get inside.

Greg began photographing the far side of the room, nearest the front windows, when he heard movement from the back of the house. Undisturbed; it was likely Sara or Nick. He continued back to the door as he stooped down to get a closer look at a few bottles left behind that were typical of what they had been finding.

He heard the approach of footsteps too light to be Nick’s.

“You can’t be done upstairs already,” Greg said with a smile on his face.

Looking over his shoulder to what he assumed would be Sara, the smile faded. In the entrance way was a man he didn’t recognize. Not a man, a teenager at best; a teenager who was close to his own height wearing mostly dark clothes.

“You’re not supposed to be in here,” Greg said, rising slowly to his feet after placing the camera on the floor. He had a horrible feeling he might need his hands free. “We’re investigating a crime. You could be charged with criminal trespassing.”

Greg had expected the kid to apologize or even give him some attitude before leaving, but he didn’t. Instead the kid, moving much faster then Greg had been prepared for, slammed the door shut on him all while wearing an odd smile.

If Greg had been within three feet of the door, he might have had a chance to stop him, but seeing as he stood clear across the room, he didn’t. Not at all. By the time Greg had raced across the room he had already heard it lock in place. Still, he tried it. Greg shook the door as hard as he could. Banged on it even, but to no avail.

His first thought was that he needed to let Sara and Nick know. Now. Reaching for his phone he dialed Sara first and got a busy signal. He redialed and got the same. Cursing and turning around the room looking for an alternate out, Greg was starting to get really worried.

The room had only one entrance, the locked one. It also had only two windows, one that faced the front of the house and one on the side, both barred. It was dawning on him that he was really trapped when he heard a new noise.

Greg knew this noise too. It was as familiar as the first, only much worse.

Stepping closer to the door once again Greg stood as close as he dared and looked down at the floor and saw smoke coming in. He felt his heart speed up as he knelt down and tentatively put a hand to the door. It was already hot to the touch.

Greg moved back quickly, unsure what to do.

He tried Sara again on the phone and after six rings hung up and dialed dispatch.

“Carrie,” he said immediately, cutting off the woman on the other end before she could get through her typical greeting. “This is Sanders from the crime lab. I’m at one-one-nine-eight Hidden Canyon Road. We need fire trucks and police on scene now. The house is on fire and the perp is still on scene.”

“How many? What’s the description?”

”Just one that I saw,” Greg said, pausing to catch his breath. “White male, about five foot ten. Light hair, probably blond. Young, not older then twenty.”

”Where are you now?” she asked, her voice always calm and collected.

“I’m still inside,” he said, moving back from the door and beginning to cough.

“Can you repeat that?”

“I’m still inside,” he said as loud as he could. The smoke was getting thicker and he was struggling to get words out now. “I’m trying, but I can’t get out.”

”Oh God Greg,” Carried returned, it was the most emotion he’d ever heard from her.

“Carrie. Tell them I think Sara’s still inside too. Tell them to go for her first.”

”Greg I…”

”Just do it,” he said hanging up as coughs began to wrack his body.

The doors were beginning to warp now and he knew that the fire had to be huge. It had to be. The room was thick with smoke and he could hardly take in any air. His chest was restricting fast and Greg knew he was getting ready to have a major asthma attack. Of course, a major asthma attack was really the last thing to worry about. That might be a blessing. He might pass out entirely.

Greg pulled his shirt up over his mouth as a makeshift mask and went to the window. After fumbling with the latch which had been painted over several times, he finally got it undone and the window slid open but only a few inches.

And he felt exhausted.

Greg was going to open the second window as well but suddenly didn’t have the energy. His lungs were screaming for oxygen and dark spots were beginning to swarm his vision.

He felt his legs wobble from the effort, the effort of standing, and reluctantly he slid to the floor beneath the window just as he heard the sirens approach. Greg watched the door now and saw that it was burning.

The fire was inside with him.

His vision grew dimmer and dimmer and at first he thought it was the smoke. He could barely take in any air now.

That’s when he realized it wasn’t just the smoke making the room so dark. Greg was getting his reluctant wish. He really was going to black out.

The next moments were hazy. Greg was in and out of consciousness. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been in the room, or out of it, when he thought he heard voices.

He tried to respond, but wasn’t sure if he actually made any sound louder than a whisper.

The next thing he knew, Greg was no longer alone.

A man helped him to his feet and began to drag him towards the exit he wasn’t aware they’d created by breaking down the door.

After that it was a complete blank until he felt himself being lowered to the ground.

He still heard the fire, but the air was so much cleaner and cooler that he knew without opening his eyes again that he was outside. Despite the clean, cool air, he still couldn’t breathe.

That’s when he felt hands on him. Two sets. At first they weren’t speaking to him, only to each other. Moving to take his pulse, assess his wounds, elevate his legs and other things he could only sometimes hear or feel. He kept his eyes shut the entire time. It was easier to not panic, to just focus on taking in as much air as possible that way.

“Sir,” the man on his right said, “I want you to nod if you can hear me. Don’t try to speak. Do you understand?”

Greg nodded, tried to at least, but wasn’t sure how much movement he had actually made.

Again the two men, he assumed they were paramedics, spoke to each other. Greg couldn’t make out what they were saying even though they were right next to him, one on either side. He might have even drifted off again, he wasn’t sure.

“We’re going to inject you with adrenaline,” the man to his right said again. “It’ll help with your breathing. Then we’ll be hooking you up to a mask and taking you to UMC to have your chest examined. Do you understand?”

Greg tried to let them know he did and thought that this time he was more successful.

He felt the needle and even though he’d been expecting it, still gasped. He knew now why they hadn’t wanted him talking. Just that involuntary action alone was painful. His throat felt like it was burning.

Soon after he felt his heart racing and the mask was now in place.

Then there was movement. The man to his right was gone, he felt him leave, and Greg took the opportunity to try and open his eyes.

At first, that too burned, but after blinking several times he managed it.

It took a second to recognize that Nick and Charlie were nearby. Very near. Greg couldn’t call out and catch their attention, but soon Nick turned to him and made it unnecessary.

That’s when he tried to ask. Tried asking Nick about Sara. If he was safe, then she had to be too. She had to be.

Nick came over and knelt next to him, obviously not understanding. Not at first.

Greg saw the first flicker of recognition cross the other man’s face and it gave him pause. Then Nick, without responding to his question, turned and looked back at the house, Greg knew.

Sara was still inside.

The only indication he really had of knowing he’d moved was that Greg soon found not only Nick’s hand squarely on his shoulder, pushing hard to keep him still, but the paramedic still to his left doing the same.

Greg still couldn’t speak. Didn’t know if he’d have words to speak if he could. He felt nearly hysterical, the only time in his life he’d ever been that way.

This couldn’t be happening.

Greg was vaguely aware that Nick, and now Charlie as well, were talking to him. Trying to calm him down, but it had no effect. He was trying to get back on his feet and toward the house. If Sara was inside he had to get her out. He had to.

The second paramedic was back now and Greg saw that he had a gurney.

Greg was sitting up at this time but, Nick still had a hand planted on his shoulder to keep him in place.

“They’re inside Greg,” he said to him. “They’re inside and they’re going to find her.”

Greg shook his head at him, still staring at the house. His eyes wide, still terrified.

“Sir,” the paramedic said leaning down now, “you need to go to the hospital.”

Greg just shook his head and tried standing again but was still held down.

“Greg they need to check you out,” Charlie tried as well.

“At least go to the ambulance,” Nick added.

Greg finally looked from Charlie to Nick. He knew he had tears on his cheeks but didn’t care.

“You don’t have to leave,” Nick continued and finally Greg nodded briskly.

The two of them helped him to his feet and they slowly made their way to the back of the waiting ambulance. The paramedic who had brought the gurney went with them as the other stayed behind to await the firefighters’ return.

Sitting in the back, Greg continued to watch the house despite Charlie and Nick’s combined efforts to block his view as much as possible.

The paramedic began to hook Greg up to various monitors now and as he did there was commotion on the lawn.

Greg just made out a figure in the doorway of the house carrying a person.

He moved to get a better look but could see very little.

“Sir,” the paramedic chided, “you need to sit still.”

This caught both Nick and Charlie’s attention who had each turned around to see what was happening.

“Is it her?” Greg managed to ask, despite the burn to his throat.

It came out garbled and hoarse but was unmistakable.

Neither of the men answered him and Greg stretched to see over them just catching a glimpse of a figure on the ground with the paramedic who had remained behind leaning over them.

The next thing he knew Charlie was shaking his head and turning back toward him.

“No,” he said loudly. “No, get him out of here. Get to UMC. Now.”

Greg was nearly too shocked to respond but the paramedic inside did so immediately. Pushed back to his seat, Greg was buckled in as the man called to the driver to ‘roll out’.

They were moving before he knew it, aware that he was yelling but unable to stop the progress.

Looking out the back window he saw Charlie and Nick watching the ambulance pull away. Nick was rubbing his face with both his hands and Charlie was back on his phone.

Behind them both he just caught sight of what Charlie had been trying to hide.

They’d already covered the body on the lawn.


	20. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Okay, so I've held out long enough. Thanks again[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) , [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) and [](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/profile)_[**girlnorth**](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/). 

**Chapter 25: Into the Fire**

_Greg laughed as he watched her head off towards the stairway before setting to work himself._

Sara made her way up the stairs. The layout upstairs was fairly straightforward. The staircase had led to a hallway with four doors, two on each side. There was little light forcing her to retrieve her flashlight from her vest and scan the floors and ceiling.

From the looks of things the area was well trafficked. While dirty, it was easy enough to make out that several pairs of feet had gone up and down the hallway fairly recently. Sara took several shots, both near and far, with her camera before moving carefully down the hall to begin at the far end and work her way back.

She started with the room on the left, what turned out to be the master bedroom, and soon found that weeding through the forensics of this house was going to be difficult. There was an old mattress still in the room and obviously still in frequent use. Sara was quite frankly afraid to use the ultraviolet light here. Processing could take all night.

Sara hadn’t been too long at work when her phone rang.

“Sidle,” she said into it, stepping back towards the doorway that led to the hall.

At first she couldn’t understand the person on the other line. They were garbled and she thought maybe the connection was bad.

“I’m sorry,” she said, cutting them off. “Can you repeat that? I can’t understand you.”

”Sorry Sara,” said Amy, much clearer now. “Stupid mask. I’ve been doing that all night. Forgetting I have it on. No one understands me anymore.”

Sara laughed and Amy chuckled along with her.

“So,” Amy started again, “what I said was that we found something interesting about your arson case.”

”Interesting how?”

“Alright, so Dave processed the liquid in the bottle and it came up as kerosene. No surprise. You knew that. Well, he also found another sample mixed in with the kerosene, a biological.”

“Biological? Like what?”

”Saliva.”

”What?” Sara questioned loudly. “Like backwash? Why is he drinking kerosene?”

”No idea. Maybe it’s like a sip and spray?”

”Huh?”

”Sip and spray,” Amy said laughing. “Sorry, it’s my own expression. Like he took a sip and sprayed it onto the wall or floor or whatever.”

”That’s a thought,” Sara said, nodding to no one. “Thanks. I’m not sure how much it helps…”

”No wait,” Amy interrupted her, “there’s more. Once we realized it was saliva, we were able to get a DNA profile.”

”Did you run it?”

“Of course,” Amy answered easily. “Didn’t have any luck, but now there’s at least something.”

”No, that is good.”

”Still not done.”

”What else could you have?” Sara asked.

“I got two profiles.”

”Two?”

”Two. As in two men both had their saliva in that bottle. You have two suspects, not one.”

”That’s unusual. Arsonists usually work alone.”

”Helpful?”

”Very. Thanks Amy.”

”No problem,” she said in return. “Hey, when do you think you’ll be back? Maybe we can all grab a late dinner.”

”I’m not sure,” Sara answered. “It could be awhile.”

”That’s alright. Maybe we’ll have breakfast. Have fun.”

”Bye,” Sara said, smiling as she hung up.

Sara, phone still in hand, opened the door to go back downstairs and tell Greg the news. It was pretty big. They’d been assuming all this time they had one arsonist.

As she made her way into the hallway she froze.

There was a man at the top of the stairway and she could smell the chemical in the air.

“Stop right there,” she said, dropping her phone and going for her gun instead.

He had a match in his hand, already lit.

“Don’t do it,” Sara said as calmly as she could as she moved forward, just now getting her gun out.

But he did anyway. He dropped the match to the floor and the hallway lit up in flames.

Sara brought her free hand to her face, momentarily blinded, as she took a few steps backwards.

“Nothing personal,” the guy said, laughing as he too took a step back toward the stairs.

Then, he stopped suddenly and moved back to the fire. Sara, forced further and further back by the flames, watched in with mild apprehension as he took something from his jacket pocket and held it before him.

“We ran out of kerosene,” he said as if explaining it to her. “This should work just as well. Don’t want it burning out again.”

Sara shook her head and couldn’t believe it as the man opened the lighter fluid and actually sprayed it onto the flame.

Before she could even get the words of warning out of her mouth that she instinctively found there it was too late. The flame shot straight up the liquid stream and into the container exploding it in the man’s hands.

The man flew backwards at the contact, down the stairs but not before Sara saw he’d caught on fire.

The fire in front of her was now huge.

There was no way for her to go through it. Instead she retreated back towards the room she’d come from. Once there she saw the boards warping. The fire must be below as well as above. Smoke was now thick everywhere and for a split second she didn’t know where to go.

Sara made her way to the bathroom just opposite the bedroom.

She first went to the window and found it was a single pane of glass. Breaking it with the butt of her gun to get fresh air, Sara then tried the sink.

Relief flooded through her upon finding it in working condition.

From outside the window she heard the approaching sirens.

Sara tried to remain calm as she searched the room for something to stuff under the door. Smoke was already streaming in. Unable to find anything other then trash, she took off her jacket and ran it under the water, soaking it as best she could before stuffing it under the door.

She wasn’t sure how long she had.

The fire in the hall had been big and the one downstairs must be as well. She heard the water from the fire hoses now and hoped it wouldn’t be long before they were inside.

That’s when it struck her.

Inside.

If she was still inside, Greg probably was too.

Sara felt her heart race and tried to remain calm. That’s when she noticed her arm. There was blood on her arm.

Sara checked her left arm and saw with some surprise that shrapnel from the exploding lighter fluid can had actually struck her as well and that pieces had been embedded in her skin.

It wasn’t too bad, but she saw now too that she was also burned.

Running the arm under the faucet she tried not to listen to the now roar of the fire just beside her. But it wouldn’t be ignored.

Smoke was coming in through the cracks around the door and the door itself was starting to bulge and contort from the heat.

Stepping back as far as she could, Sara climbed into the bathtub and sat down.

It felt unreal.

Choking on the air around her, Sara watched the door in disbelief as flames began to appear.

The room was sweltering now and it grew harder and harder to breathe.

Sara felt her throat and lungs restricting. Burning ash and thick black smoke began to fill the room entirely, the broken window not doing nearly enough to keep the room ventilated.

She couldn’t fight it anymore.

Sara felt her body giving in. Felt it shut down. The black spots filled her vision and she had no choice.

Sara passed out.

****

Nick had watched the ambulance leave before turning back to the scene.

The body on the lawn was already covered and beyond help.

Charlie shut his phone and turned to him, shaking his head in disbelief. He didn’t know what to say to Nick. Didn’t know if Nick would be angry at him for sending Greg off, but he had no choice. Greg didn’t need to see this first hand.

But Nick wasn’t angry. He only wished he didn’t have to see it either.

Reluctantly the two of them made their way back into the yard. Charlie cast a quick glance back at his car and saw their perp still inside watching it all unfold. The kid looked slightly stricken at the body on the ground but no one sympathized with him. He’d done it after all. This was his fault.

“You really shouldn’t,” the paramedic said, stopping them both from going further. “I know he was one of yours but he really isn’t in a condition either of you should see.”

”He?” Nick questioned. “Our other CSI is a woman.”

The paramedic looked at Nick clearly confused.

Before anyone could react the firefighters were once more coming out of the building carrying a body.

“Got another one,” the man called out, laying Sara out on the ground. “No one else inside. We checked all the rooms.”

Nick watched in shock as the paramedic turned to her immediately and began to make his assessment. He watched just long enough to be certain she was alive before turning and walking away completely overcome.

Charlie couldn’t move. He saw that Sara looked bad but she was definitely still alive. The paramedic wasted no time getting her onto a gurney and into the ambulance taking her off to UMC quickly.

While relieved she was for the moment safe, Charlie still felt a cold guilt in his stomach. He really thought he’d done the right thing sending Greg off so quickly but now he knew it had been a mistake.

Because Greg had to have seen. Greg had to have thought the same thing he and Nick had.

“We need to get to the hospital.”

Nick’s voice startled him but not enough to agree.

“No,” Charlie countered. “We need to process our guy at the station first. I called Brass, he’s contacting the lab.”

”Someone needs to tell Greg about Sara,” Nick said, shaking his head.

“I know that,” Charlie said. “I know, but we still have a job to do.”

Nick silently debated it to himself before reluctantly nodding. Charlie was right. Now more then ever he wanted this guy prosecuted.

“Let me call Warrick first,” Nick said, still sounding shaky but better then he had. “Tell him to get there and find Greg and Sara.”

Charlie nodded and stepped back to give him some privacy.

He hoped Warrick hurried. Judging from Greg’s initial reaction there was no telling what he’d do.


	21. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_I am so far behind on reading other fan fics out there! I may have to spend the rest of the day doing that! But, hey, another chapter complete! Thanks[](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)[ **tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) , [](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[**rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/profile)_[**girlnorth**](http://girlnorth.livejournal.com/). This is my first ever Warrick POV. After a bout of indifference towards this chapter I've grown to love it.

**Chapter 26: Sedated**

Warrick had dropped everything and headed straight to UMC after hanging up with Nick. It hadn’t taken long to get there, but upon arriving he found the place swamped. The emergency room was packed with people. There had been a nasty accident on interstate fifteen and UMC, the closest hospital to the accident, had received the majority of the patients.

After waiting rather impatiently at the front desk for help, Warrick finally got the receptionist’s attention.

“I’m here to see Greg Sanders,” he said curtly. “He was brought here from a house fire.”

”Are you sure he was brought here?” she responded, equaling his tone and continuing about what she was doing without looking up. “We’ve diverted a lot of patients to St. Rose.”

“I don’t know if he was diverted,” Warrick sighed, shaking his head. “I was told he was brought here. Can you check?”

The woman looked up and stared for a half a second before asking him to repeat the name.

“Sanders,” Warrick answered. “Greg Sanders. He’s a crime scene investigator.”

”Nope,” she said shaking her head. “No one named Sanders has been admitted.”

”Are you sure?”

“The computer doesn’t lie.”

“Can you check again?”

”I can,” she said, no longer even trying to sound polite, “but it’s not going to change. The closest I’ve got is a ‘Saunders’.”

“Is that a Greg Saunders?”

The woman looked indignant at his semi-accusation but after Warrick fixed her with a stare she finally looked back to the monitor.

“Yes,” she admitted. “He was brought in an hour ago from a fire.”

“Where is he now?”

The receptionist returned her gaze to the monitor and screwed up her face in disbelief.

“He’s on the third floor, the psych ward. Are you family?”

”No but…”

”Then I’m afraid you’re not going to be let in to see him. You can try there yourself but I doubt…”

Warrick didn’t wait around to hear her out, just headed straight past the desk and towards the elevators.

It didn’t take long to find the ward, but the receptionist proved right. The only people allowed in were immediately family, and even then only after an initial wait of twenty-four hours. Warrick tried arguing that Greg’s only family was in California and that he worked with him, but to no avail.

Warrick was just about to call Grissom to see if he could do any better when he caught sight of Dr. Jennings coming around the corner. After calling out to her and catching her attention she stopped and came his way.

“Mr. Brown,” she said uncertainly. They’d only met once before a few months back, quite by accident when he and Greg had been out.

“Dr. Jennings,” he returned with a nod. “I’m trying to get some information on Greg. How’s he doing?”

”Not well,” she answered honestly. “Come back with me. He could use the company.”

Warrick thanked her as she ushered him through the double doors past the nurse’s station and down a long corridor.

“How’d he end up here?” Warrick asked, unable to hide his disdain.

“Believe me,” she returned, easily as agitated as he was, “it wasn’t my decision. I was called in when they realized I’m his psychiatrist, but that was after he’d already been brought here.”

Warrick raised an eyebrow, questioning her with a glance.

“I know. They say they had no choice. That he became uncontrollable in the ambulance on the way here and that they had to sedate him. Twice.”

”What about his injuries? Was he treated or just dropped off here?”

”He was treated first in the E.R. Greg wasn’t seriously injured. He was very lucky. I understand from the paramedic he had a severe asthma attack which actually might have prevented further trauma to his throat and lungs. Unfortunately he had another one here, that one was likely panic induced.”

“Is he on a ventilator?”

”No,” Dr. Jennings said, stopping in front of room 307. “He’s breathing on his own, they had to put a tube in temporarily until the swelling went down, but it’s been removed. He’s still hoarse, his breathings a bit shallow, but he’s out of danger.”

“So he can’t talk,” Warrick said, sounding disappointed.

“Whisper. He can whisper. There are some things we should talk about before going in,” Dr. Jennings returned, quite seriously. “He’s still sedated, but awake right now. He can hear you, but he hasn’t been responding to anyone for the last half an hour.”

”I can imagine,” Warrick said.

“Do you know what happened?”

”Yeah,” Warrick nodded. “Sara and Greg were both inside the house when it caught on fire. Greg was taken out first. Before he was taken off scene they brought out a second body. Nick told me that they all thought it was Sara, but it turned out it wasn’t. Greg doesn’t know yet.”

”He may not believe you,” Dr. Jennings said after a pause. “Be persistent. Be patient. I’ll see if I can track down where they’ve taken Sara to and arrange a visit, see how she’s doing.”

”I’d appreciate that.”

Dr. Jennings smiled and put her hand on the door before stopping once again.

“So you know,” she added after thinking it over, “he’s in restraints. They’ll be removed once the sedatives wear off and the doctor on call sees he’s calmed down, but until then there’s nothing I can do about that. It’s more for the hospital than the patient. Apparently there were some problems in the ambulance and then more in the E.R. They don’t want to be sued if he hurts himself again.”

”Again?”

”It got very physical. He pulled out his IV.”

Warrick looked at her, unblinking.

“Was he trying…”

Warrick couldn’t even finish the question. Wasn’t sure what he was asking. Didn’t really want to know.

“No,” Dr. Jennings answered, “I think he was just trying to leave.”

“But you weren’t there.”

Dr. Jennings gave him a weaker smile this time before shaking her head.

“Thank you doctor.”

”I’ll be back soon,” she said, opening the door for him and stepping out of the way.

Warrick didn’t have time to pull his thoughts together before finding himself in the room. It was dimly lit and somewhat small. Greg was lying down, still hooked up to a few monitors and staring blankly at the ceiling. Warrick could see he had restraints on his wrists but thankfully nowhere else. Coming over and taking a seat beside him, he sat quietly for a minute waiting for Greg to first acknowledge his presence. After a few minutes of steady silence Warrick knew that wasn’t going to happen.

Greg looked bad.

He’d obviously been cleaned up some, but still had soot in his hair and on his face in places. His left arm was heavily bandaged at the elbow and Warrick assumed that was where the first IV had been placed. The new one was in his right hand. Warrick was surprised to see they were giving him blood.

Looking him over once more, preparing himself for the worst, Warrick had almost spoken when he noticed something he hadn’t seen before. Greg, now dressed in a hospital gown, had dark smudges on his arms just above his elbows. On closer look, they weren’t smudges, they were bruises.

Before he had time to grow really angry, knowing they had to have been caused in the struggle Dr. Jennings had alluded too, Greg stirred. Warrick saw that Greg was now looking at him instead of the ceiling. His eyes were glassy and Warrick wondered how strong of a sedative was given.

“Hey man,” Warrick finally said, “I had a hard time finding you.”

Greg didn’t answer, just turned his head back to continue looking up again.

“Nick called me. Wanted me to come tell you what happened after you left. They got Sara out and took her here.”

Warrick paused and waited for some reaction from Greg but got nothing in return.

“Dr. Jennings is checking to see how soon you can see her. I’m sure Sara would want that.”

”You’re lying.”

”Greg,” Warrick asked as evenly as he could, “have I ever lied to you?”

Greg turned back to him. Warrick could almost see the struggle behind his eyes as Greg tried to work it out, undoubtedly hindered by the drugs in his system.

“I saw her,” he said after a long pause.

His voice was soft and cracked as he spoke. Warrick knew he had to keep at it, but it was getting harder to just sit there and watch as Greg broke down.

“I saw…” he repeated, unable to stop the tears that slipped out of his eyes.

“It wasn’t her,” Warrick said firmly. “Nick and Charlie are working on it, but they think it’s your arsonist. That he was trapped inside with you and Sara.”

”You’re just saying that,” Greg said again, turning away once more.

“Greg,” Warrick said, struggling to keep his voice calm, “I wouldn’t do that. You know I wouldn’t. Sara was brought here after you were.”

”She’s okay?” Greg asked, still struggling to speak.

Warrick paused because he honestly didn’t know the answer to that. Nick hadn’t said, hadn’t known either.

“Dr. Jennings is checking right now.”

Greg grew quiet again and Warrick did as well.

After a few minutes more Greg moved, tried to sit up and struggled against the restraints.

“Just relax,” Warrick said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Those will be off soon.”

“They think I’m crazy.”

Warrick wasn’t sure if he should laugh at that or not. Greg had nearly sounded normal then, almost proud.

“Well, I hear you’re picking fights with paramedics.”

“He started it.”

Warrick did laugh at that one, couldn’t help it and again they sat in silence.

“She’s really okay?” Greg asked again, looking once more at Warrick for proof.

“Get some rest,” Warrick evaded. “Dr. Jennings will be back soon. She’ll give you the details then.”

Greg nodded weakly, eyes still glazed and looking very much like he needed the rest. Reluctantly he shut his eyes and Warrick breathed a sigh of relief.


	22. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Thanks[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/)! I'm hoping to finish this thing before I leave next week for Boston. I *hope* to that is. I'm also working on a follow-up to my 'Body'/'Search' stories that should be fun. Anyway, enjoy!

**Chapter 27: Waiting**

Catherine and Grissom had split up upon arriving at the hospital. Brass had called them and filled them in on what he knew, but it wasn’t much. They knew that both Greg and Sara had been badly hurt in a fire, had been taken to UMC, but nothing more. While Grissom headed straight to the emergency room, Catherine went to the main reception area.

Before she had a chance to ask any questions, Grissom was calling her name. Wheeling around she saw him and Dr. Jennings. Wasting no time, she hurried to them and began her own inquiry.

“Please,” Dr. Jennings said, holding up her hand. “Ms. Willows, I’ll explain it all as best as I can, but you need to calm down.”

”Just tell me they’re okay.”

”They are,” she assured her. “Both of them. I’ve just come from checking on Sara. She’s being taken up to the ICU, but is in stable condition.”

”Then why the ICU?” Grissom asked, he hadn’t had the chance to ask anything himself until now. It was lucky he’d even spotted her in the chaos that had been the emergency room.

Dr. Jennings looked down, as if caught in a lie.

“She’s going to be fine. Dr. Davidson is her attending and he’s confident she’ll recover fully, but her lungs have been damaged. Right now she’s on a ventilator; they aren’t sure how long it will be needed.”

”And?” Grissom questioned, knowing there was more.

“She crashed on the way here,” Dr. Jennings answered, knowing they needed to know. That they wouldn’t rest until they did. “Dr. Davidson will be able to tell you more, but CPR was performed en route. She was stabilized before they arrived, but hasn’t gained consciousness.”

Grissom and Catherine both looked stricken at the news.

“And Greg?” Catherine asked after a long pause, her voice cautious.

“He’s in and out,” Dr. Jennings started and then stopped, her eyes moving past them and looking relieved.

Grissom and Catherine turned nearly at once to follow her movement and saw Dr. Tracey moving their way.

“Dora,” Dr. Tracey said, ignoring the two investigators for the moment, “what is going on? I just got paged. Why is Greg Sanders in the psych ward?”

Dr. Tracey looked and sounded angry, but it was nothing to the looks of shock and outrage that crossed both Grissom and Catherine’s faces as they turned back to Dr. Jennings.

“He was admitted before I arrived,” she answered, holding her hands up defensively without realizing it. “There were problems controlling him in the ambulance and the ER. I was told they had no choice.”

”Problems? Of course there were problems, he’d come from a fire. They’re professionals; they should know how to handle a patient. ”

”Dr. Tracey,” the younger woman continued, lowering her voice and trying to gently pull her away, “please, if you’d just…”

“No,” she said firmly, “I’d like to hear this now. I’m sure Gil and Catherine would as well.”

Dr. Jennings took a deep breath before beginning.

“There was an altercation in the ambulance on the way here. The paramedic had no choice but to sedate him; he used a very mild drug. It was just enough to get to calm him and get him here. Once it began to wear off, he began to get out of control again. He ripped out his IV and tried to leave. Greg was restrained by three of the orderlies until he was sedated again. This time they used a much stronger drug and he had a bad reaction. It brought on a second, stronger asthma attack than he’d had at the fire. He had to be restrained in order to insert a tube down his throat to clear an airway. Because of the ruckus, Dr. Phillips the on-call psychiatrist felt that he needed observation. Once he was cleared from the ER, he was admitted upstairs.”

“Greg’s a patient here,” Dr. Tracey said, shaking her head. “Why wasn’t I called sooner?”

”Clerical error,” Dr. Jennings answered. “They admitted him under the wrong name. Apparently Greg did try to ask for you or me, but without luck. Dr. Phillips called me after he’d been admitted just to verify I wasn’t his doctor. He was a bit surprised to learn I was.”

“Excuse me,” Dr. Tracey said, having heard enough. “I need to go find Dr. Phillips.”

There was an awkward pause until finally Dr. Jennings cleared her throat and turned back to the other two.

“I can take you up to see Greg if you’d like,” she said with a short nod. “Mr. Brown is with him now, but the more company he has the less likely he is to become despondent.”

”What about Sara?” Grissom asked. “Can we see her too?”

”I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “Only family members are allowed. Does she have an emergency contact list on file? Anyone listed there would be allowed as well.”

”I’ll call the lab and have Gretchen fax it immediately.”

Dr. Jennings nodded. She made a slight indication for them to follow as she headed towards the elevator, but knew there was nothing more to tell.

They moved silently through the corridors till they stopped in front of room 307. Dr. Jennings peaked inside before opening the door to them both, allowing them in first. Warrick stood up as they did, moving a hand to his mouth indicating silence. Greg was asleep and he thought it best if he stayed that way.

Dr. Jennings asked only that they page the nurses’ station when he woke up and then was gone.

****

Nick didn’t arrive at the hospital until nearly daybreak. Their only suspect, booked by now, had offered up a full confession. Of course John Davenport claimed that it was really his friend, the late James Douglas, who had really set all the fires. DNA would prove he had some part in it, but by then he’d have gotten a lawyer and it would be a matter for the courts. The DA was likely to charge him not only with setting the fires but also with attempted murder. Still a minor, Davenport was likely to get a plea bargain deal. That made Nick angry, but now wasn’t the time.

Nick knew right where to go. Grissom had called him an hour earlier and filled him in. On the way there Nick had stopped by Greg’s house and picked him up a change of clothes. Grissom had told him that Greg was going to be released shortly and would need some of his things. No one doubted that even when he was released he wouldn’t be leaving the hospital any time soon. As it turned out Greg was Sara’s emergency contact. He’d be the only one allowed up to see her for the time being.

Making his way to the third floor he found Grissom and Catherine in the waiting room.

“I thought Greg was up?” he asked, moving towards them quickly.

Nick still looked rough himself. He’d gotten fairly dirty at the fire but hadn’t bothered to change or clean himself up yet. There hadn’t been time.

“He is,” Catherine practically sighed, “he just doesn’t want company.”

”Warrick’s with him,” Grissom added.

“Can I go?” he asked, casting a glance over his shoulder toward the ward.

Catherine didn’t answer, but Grissom nodded with a slight smile.

Nick gave them both a half-hearted smile of his own before turning to go. He decided not to knock, just cracked the door and stuck his head inside. Seeing only Warrick Nick made his way in, shutting the door behind him.

“Where is he?” he asked, scanning the room and dropping the bag of clothes off on the nearest chair.

“Bathroom,” Warrick answered with a slight nod toward the door. “He’s been in there for awhile; I was just about to knock.”

”Tell me how bad it is first,” Nick said taking a seat.

Warrick looked down, shaking his head. Not able to just say it right away.

“He’s not good,” he finally managed. “Better then he was, but once he found out how bad Sara is…”

Warrick threw up his hands and shrugged. This wasn’t easy for any of them, but Greg was definitely taking it the hardest.

“She isn’t better?” Nick asked, worried now himself. They’d filled him in on her condition but he had hoped for improvement.

“No,” Warrick returned. “Dr. Tracey and Dr. Jennings have been giving us updates. She’s still unconscious; they think she might have slipped into a coma. She went a long time without air.”

”How long?”

”Long enough to worry.”

Nick looked down before rubbing his hands over his face.

“So why aren’t Catherine and Grissom in here?” he asked after a pause.

“Greg,” Warrick answered once more. “It’s nothing personal, but he didn’t want a lot of people hanging around while he was in restraints.”

”Catherine seemed to think it was personal.”

”Yeah,” Warrick said with a tight smile. “She did. Didn’t take it well at all but Griss calmed her down.”

The both turned as they heard the water shut off in the bathroom. A few minutes later Greg came out, hair still wet and dressed in a hospital gown.

“Hey Greg,” Nick said as naturally as he could. “I brought you some clothes.”

”Thanks,” Greg said, sitting on the bed, “but I’ve got to stay in this until I’m released.”

Nick nodded and took a quick glance at his friend. He knew about the bandaged arm, Nick had been filled in on the fact that Greg had practically ripped open a vein trying to get his first IV out. His second was still in place, although no longer attached to anything. Greg looked pale and a little green, like he might be sick. But that wasn’t what really caught his attention.

“What happened to your arms?” Nick asked before he could stop himself.

Greg looked down as if seeing it himself for the first time and shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

Nick did, he just remembered too late. He’d been told they had to hold Greg down, he just hadn’t realized it had been so physical.

“Dr. Phillips should be here soon,” Warrick said, drawing Greg’s attention. “Do you want us to leave?”

Greg looked as if he was considering it, before finally shaking his head.

“No,” he said. “You guys can stay. If you don’t mind I’d like you to come up with me to the ICU. I don’t think…”

Greg stopped abruptly and looked away from the both of them.

“Of course we’ll go,” Warrick said immediately.

“Yeah man,” Nick seconded. “We’ll be there.”

Greg nodded and ran a hand across his face.

“Thanks.”

Warrick and Nick nodded.

The three of them sat in a steady silence, waiting for the doctor.


	23. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_Thank you so much to[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) for reviewing this chapter and for keeping me writing! Thanks everyone for your patience, hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 28: Hard Choices**

The ride from the lab to the hospital was silent. Charlie drove and Amy sat staring out the window. Nick hadn’t told her much, there hadn’t been time. He’d called a few times before shift ended and given her updates as well, but she wasn’t sure if she was prepared for this.

The car came to a stop near the entrance.

“If you need anything give me a call,” Charlie said turning toward her.

“You aren’t coming in?”

“No,” he answered, shaking his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Amy gave a small nod and a smile.

“I’ll call you later,” she said before opening the door.

“Thanks.”

Amy stepped out and away from the car and watched momentarily as Charlie pulled away. She knew enough of the story to understand why he thought his presence might not be welcome, but had hoped he’d change his mind.

Steeling herself for the scene to come Amy took a deep breath and headed inside. She didn’t need to stop and ask for directions; Nick had already told her that the ICU was on the second floor. Seeing the line at the elevator she opted instead to walk, it didn’t take nearly long enough.

The waiting room was full of familiar faces.

Catherine was there sitting next to Warrick, both of them talking quietly to one another. Brass was standing near the wall, unmoving. Nick saw her enter and got up to meet her. Only Greg and Grissom were absent.

“How is she?” Amy asked just above a whisper.

“We haven’t heard anything new.”

“Have you gotten to see her at least?”

Nick just shook his head and looked down.

“Greg has but he’s only been out once and that was to ask Grissom to join him. He didn’t say anything else.”

”So,” Amy asked hesitantly, “what do we do now?”

“Same thing we have been doing,” Nick answered, taking hold of her hand. “We wait.”

****

Grissom sat across from Greg in Dr. Davidson’s office at a complete loss.

When Greg had stepped out of the ward just over half an hour ago he’d assumed, like everyone did, that he had news for them. When Greg came straight to him and talking low asked him to follow, he assumed that they were now being allowed to see Sara. When they ended up here in this office alone he wasn’t sure what to assume.

And now it was worse.

“What am I supposed to do?” Greg asked sounding defeated.

Grissom didn’t have an answer for him.

“I know,” Greg started and then stopped again. “I know what she wants. We’ve talked about it before. Hell, I have one. I just don’t…”

He stopped talking as abruptly as he’d started. Grissom was getting use to it. Since explaining the situation, Greg had done it several times now. Grissom just didn’t know what to tell him.

The problem was that Sara had a DNR on file, an old one. They had to be periodically reviewed and it seemed like Sara hadn’t gotten to it yet. So now Greg, who was her emergency contact and still had a legitimate power of attorney for Sara, had to make the decision.

And he didn’t know what to do.

“What were the results of the CATSCAN?” Grissom asked.

“They’ll have them soon. But even then, I mean…they really won’t know until she wakes up. If…”

Once again a heavy silence fell between them.

“What should I do?”

Grissom looked up, surprised again.

“Greg, I can’t…”

”No, you have too. You know Sara…you’d know what she’d want.”

Greg ran a hand across his eyes as Grissom purposely looked away.

“I can’t make this decision for you.”

Greg nodded. It’s kind of what he’d expected, but still. He was so worried he was going to do this wrong; he never wanted to be in this situation. He never imagined he would be.

“I guess, if I follow the DNR, if I do what she’d written…I just don’t want people to…”

”No one’s going to blame you for following her wishes.”

Greg looked down and nodded.

“I just don’t know that, if it comes to it, I can do it. I know Sara wouldn’t want to stay like this forever. If it’s bad, she wouldn’t want that. It just feels like I’m giving up on her and I’ve already done that once, I can’t…”

Greg couldn’t finish it. Just stopped and buried his head in his hands, obviously overcome.

Grissom reached out and squeezed his shoulder for comfort; it was all he could do as he waited for him to come back around.

“You’re not giving up on her.”

Before Greg could answer there was a light tap on the door. Dr. Davidson, the physician overseeing Sara’s care, stepped inside.

“I have the results,” he said wasting no time and coming over to the chairs they sat in. “She’s been steadily improving over the last hour. The scan shows no sign of any type of brain damage. We’ll still need to wait until she wakes to make a full diagnosis, but I’d say that judging from this, she’s in the clear. We’ll be moving her out of the ICU once she wakes.”

Grissom couldn’t help but smile at the news. It was the best they’d heard all night. Greg however still looked grave, like he didn’t dare believe it.

“What about her breathing?” he asked.

“She’ll need to continue on the ventilator just to be safe until she’s fully conscious. After that, I see no reason for her to continue. The damage there is bad but reversible. She’ll have a long recovery.”

”When do you think she’ll be awake?” Grissom asked.

“Could be now,” the doctor answered, “or it could be hours from now. Her brain waves indicate that she isn’t in coma. Likely her body has just temporarily shut down to allow her time to heal. My best guess is that it will be sooner rather than later.”

Greg finally seemed to be breathing easier.

“Can we see her?” he asked.

“Of course,” Dr. Davidson said, “but I’d really like to keep her visitors down to a minimum. I realize there are quite a few people wanting in, but given the situation is still delicate I only want two in at a time and only for another hour. Mr. Sanders, you can stay longer if you like but everyone else…”

”I understand,” Greg said, cutting him off and nodding as he stood.

The three of them walked down the hall towards Sara’s room. There was an observation window that she was just visible through. Grissom, getting his first look, was startled. Sara looked so small inside, surrounded by machines and wrapped in gauze. She looked fragile.

“If you need anything please page the nurses’ station,” Dr. Davidson said in parting before shaking both their hands and heading off down the hallway.

“Why don’t you go in?” Greg said, turning to Grissom. “I’m going to go let everyone know what’s happened, send in someone.”

“I can do that Greg,” Grissom offered in return. “You can wait inside.”

”No,” Greg said, shaking his head. “Dr. Davidson is only giving everyone an hour to visit, I can stay past that. I want everyone who wants to come in to have a chance.”

Grissom noticed Greg wringing his hands as he spoke and thought he understood. Greg didn’t look like he could take being so close to Sara in her current condition. That he might just break down again completely.

Grissom nodded once and turned to go inside. Greg stayed another minute or so at the window before going himself, heading down the hallway back towards the waiting room.

When he arrived, Brass, the closest to the door, moved over to him immediately and began asking questions. Waving him off silently, Greg waited until he had everyone’s attention before telling them all the news. Everyone seemed relieved. Felt relieved.

Everyone but Greg who was still worried. Very worried.

He couldn’t help it. It all just seemed too easy.

****

It wasn’t long until the hour was up.

After Greg assured them all he’d keep them informed, there wasn’t much else for anyone to do but go home and rest. He’d be staying all day and likely into the night. Grissom had already made arrangements for Greg to take as much time off as he’d need.

Finished seeing everyone off, several of who promised to return that evening, Greg made his own way to Sara’s room.

He hadn’t been inside yet.

Greg stood at the observation window for a few moments, steadying himself. It wasn’t going to be easy being so close to her when she looked so broken.

Finally he was ready, or at least he was as ready as he was going to be.

The door creaked open and the silence of the hallway was replaced by the hum of various machines that occupied the room with Sara.

Her left arm was heavily bandaged and he could tell below her hospital gown her chest was as well. The arm was injured in the fire, how they didn’t know yet, but the paramedics who had performed CPR had did the damage to her ribs. One had broken and three had cracked in the effort to keep her breathing.

She wasn’t badly burned which was a relief. Greg knew too well what that pain was like and didn’t want Sara to experience it. Her hands were the worse, but nothing that would scar.

The worst damage was unseen.

She’d breathed in a lot of soot and ash inside that house, burning her lungs and esophagus. Even with the medication, she was likely to have problems breathing for quite some time, but even that wasn’t expected to be permanent.

Still, all things considered, it was a blessing. She could have died. Sara could have easily died inside that fire.

Sitting down next to her, Greg gently took her hand and tried not to think about it. Instead he tried to think more positive thoughts. Like the fact that she was getting better. That she would wake up. And in the very least, at least she’d known.

At least she had known that he still loved her.

It wasn’t much comfort, but it was all he had.


	24. Appreciation

**Title:** Appreciation  
 **Author:** SLynn  
 **Fandom:** CSI  
 **Pairing:** Greg/Sara and Nick/OC  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Spoilers:** Up to 'Nesting Dolls'  
 **Season:** Five  
 **Disclaimer:** I’m just borrowing and will return them all when I’m done, virtually untouched.

**Summary:**  
An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of ‘Precious Things’ This is the fifth in a series.

_DONE! Oh man, this took forever and a day. Thanks so much for sticking it out. Thanks again to[](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/profile)[ **rivensky**](http://rivensky.livejournal.com/) and [](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/profile)_[**tripp3235**](http://tripp3235.livejournal.com/) for all your hard work and support! Here they are, the last two chapters! 

**Chapter 29: Outcomes**

Greg was never certain when he’d fallen asleep, but sometime during the day it must have happened because the next thing he knew a nurse was shaking him roughly and moving him away from the bed where he’d been sitting, holding Sara’s hand since making his way into the room.

Sara was waking up and they needed him to leave.

Hustled out before he fully realized the situation, Greg didn’t even get a chance to see her open her eyes.

Peering into the window, unable to get a good view do to the sheer volume of doctors and nurses now inside, Greg checked his watch and began to pace.

“Mr. Sanders?”

Greg turned as his name was called and saw an older nurse approach him.

“These are Ms. Sidle’s personal items. Sign here.”

Just as abruptly as she shoved a paper bag into his hands, she now thrust a clipboard onto his as well.

“Why are you giving me these?” he asked even as he signed.

“You’re her contact. It’s protocol. She’s being transferred to a regular room as soon as possible and because of recent instances where patients have claimed to have things lost or stolen during these transfers we now hand over all possessions before removal.”

Greg nodded numbly.

“This is the inventory,” she said handing him a new paper and taking back the clipboard, “ensure that everything is there before the transfer occurs.”

With that she was gone.

Greg checked the window once more, still unable to see anything, before sitting at a near by bench to go over the list.

Everything looked to be in order except one thing caught his eye.

Opening the bag he found a smaller one inside. Inside that, he found the odd item. Taking it out, Greg turned it over a few times in his hand, smiling despite the circumstances.

“Greg,” he heard his name called from just down the hall.

Pocketing the possession and the inventory, he stood up just as Catherine made it to him.

“What’s happening?” she asked, indicating the room just behind her.

“Sara’s awake,” he answered quickly.

“And?”

”And,” Greg said, shaking his head, “I don’t know. They rushed me out and haven’t said anything since.”

“How are you doing?”

Greg just shrugged and went back to the observation window to Sara’s room. Still unable to see anything, he turned back to Catherine who was now scrutinizing him with an intense look.

“I don’t know how I am,” he finally admitted. “All this waiting and worrying. I feel…I don’t know…helpless. I can’t do anything for her, just sit here and…”

Catherine put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“I guess I’m just use to being the one on the other side of the window,” Greg finished with a choked laugh. “I don’t know how she did it. I was in and out of here so much. Was it like this then?”

”Pretty much,” Catherine answered with a sad smile.

Greg ran a hand across his face, still tired but better off for having had a small nap and especially for now having company, but before he could continue Dr. Davidson came out to join them.

“Ms. Sidle’s doing fine,” he said before either of them could ask. “We’ve removed the ventilator and are about to transfer her down to her new room. Would you like to go in and see her?”

Greg smiled slightly and turned to Catherine.

“Go ahead,” she encouraged, “I’ll wait here.”

“Thanks,” he said to both of them before moving to the door.

Hesitating for a moment, he opened the door and stopped abruptly a few feet inside. A few nurses were still hovering about checking IVs and taking Sara’s blood pressure and temperature. Greg didn’t want to interrupt them, but he also didn’t want to spend another minute apart from Sara.

Finally, Sara looked over and caught his eye. It was all decided and with that he quickly made his way over to her. Taking hold of her hand and gently rubbing it, he planted a lingering kiss on her forehead completely at a loss for words.

Sara tried to say something to him, but her voice was too rough for words causing a small fit of coughs.

“Don’t try to talk yet honey,” the nurse nearest her said as she handed her a glass of water. “You’ll need a few days before that.”

Sara nodded reluctantly, eyes filled with tears, as she took a small sip and handed the glass back.

Greg still hadn’t found words yet, pressed her hand to lips before covering it in his own.

“We’ll give you two some privacy,” the nurse who had supplied the water now said. “We’ll be back shortly to take you down.”

The women both left leaving them thankfully alone.

“Sara I was so…”

Before he could finish, she just smiled and shook her head. She already knew what it had to have been like for him, waiting without knowing. Instead, she motioned him closer and tried whispering a question.

“You shouldn’t…”

Again she waved him off and mouthed the words instead. It was too painful to speak, but she had to know what had happened. The doctor, her doctor she imagined, had briefly gone over what her injuries were, but she wanted the details. Sara needed to know what had happened at that house, how Greg was. How they’d gotten out. She couldn’t remember much after having shut herself up in the bathroom.

He seemed to understand, but this time he was the one waving her off.

“Later,” he promised. “I’ll tell you later. Right now, I don’t…I can’t yet. I’m sorry.”

She nodded slowly, understandingly, but again she tried to ask a new question.

Greg, getting most of the idea behind it, shook his head again.

“Everyone else is fine,” he assured her. “Nick and Charlie were outside. They weren’t hurt.”

She smiled at him in a funny way. He hadn’t completely understood what she’d asked. To relay it again, she moved her hand from his grasp and tapped his chest twice.

“Oh,” he said with his own smile, “I’m fine too.”

Sara continued to give him a disbelieving look. She knew he had to have been inside with her. Besides that, he looked terrible. It could just be fatigue and worry, but she knew better than that.

“I’m fine,” he repeated, refusing to elaborate.

She couldn’t argue with him, Sara lacked the voice and the desire. She didn’t want to argue with him even if he was clearly lying. It didn’t matter right now.

“Ready to go?” the nurse, back as she’d promised, asked from the doorway.

Greg looked up at her and felt Sara’s grip tighten.

“Don’t worry,” the woman said, “he can come with you.”

Greg turned and was surprised to see that Sara did look a bit terrified.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said in a low voice. “Not without you.”

Sara smiled up at him weakly, still holding on tight.

****

Catherine, who had been told which ward Sara was to be moved to, wasted no time heading down and calling everyone to let them in on the news.

By the time she finished, Sara had been transferred and she decided it was time to step in.

Knocking gently, she cracked the door and peaked inside.

Greg waved her in, still at Sara’s side, before motioning her to be quiet. Sara had drifted off to sleep. The nurses had told him it was likely to happen, was normal, but he’d wished she’d stayed awake. Greg had a hard time watching her motionless in the bed.

“How is she?” Catherine whispered.

“Good,” Greg said eagerly, standing up and stretching as he crossed the room to her. “She was up for some time but can’t talk. Still managed to ask a dozen questions, but it’ll be some time before her throat is healed.”

Catherine smiled and nodded, tears involuntarily springing to her eyes. Blinking them back rapidly, she took in Greg’s appearance once again.

“You should get some sleep,” she admonished.

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not saying leave,” Catherine countered, “just crash out on the couch over there. At least while Sara’s asleep.”

Greg looked over his shoulder at the couch that occupied the room and had to admit the idea sounded appealing. He knew he had dozed earlier, but it couldn’t have been for more than half an hour.

“I’ll wake you as soon as she stirs,” Catherine promised.

Greg nodded in agreement, sitting down on the couch a bit reluctantly.

At first he thought sleeping wouldn’t be possible. He was still too worked up over the ordeal, over seeing Sara awake and recovering. Elated that she really did seem to be fine and worried he’d miss her waking up again. But as he settled down and Catherine shut the blinds fatigue sunk in once more and he wasn’t able to fight it.

When he next opened his eyes he was nearly startled to find the room partially full.

Warrick, Grissom, Nick and Amy were there in place of Catherine, all of them talking quietly to one another nearby.

“Hey,” Amy said, being the first to see him move, “you’re awake.”

“What time is it?” he asked groggily.

“Just after six,” Nick answered.

They were all looking at him now and it was making him a bit nervous; like he might have been drooling or talking in his sleep or something.

“I’m going to go call in and check the lab,” Grissom said, mostly to take the attention off of Greg and to be doing something again.

He stood and left without another word and Warrick, soon after, began to pace the room.

“What happened to Catherine?” Greg asked, sitting up straighter and adjusting to the light.

“She had to go pick up Lindsey,” Nick answered again. “She’ll be back tomorrow.”

”Has Sara woken up again?”

“No,” Amy said, shaking her head with a frown. “Dr. Davidson said she probably won’t for some time. The antibodies they’re giving her now are going to make her pretty much out of it.”

”So,” Greg began again, “you’ve all just been what, sitting here watching me sleep?”

“Yeah,” Warrick said, with a trace of a smile. “Pretty much. You didn’t think we’d just leave you here alone did you?”

“I don’t know what to think anymore,” Greg said, but with a smile of his own.

“Why don’t we go down to the cafeteria and get you something to eat?” Nick suggested. “You’ve got to be hungry by now.”

“No,” Greg said, “I don’t want to leave. I promised Sara I’d be here.”

”Well let me bring you something back then,” Amy said, standing and moving towards the door. “It won’t be great, if my experience with hospital food has taught me anything, but it might be edible.”

”Thanks,” Greg said in return, unable to turn down the offer. He was hungry; it had now been almost a full day since his last meal.

Amy smiled back at him before turning to go, leaving the three guys alone to temporarily wait it out.

“How are you holding up?” Warrick asked, finally stopping his route across the room and sitting down next to Greg and Nick.

“Not bad,” Greg said. “Better than I was.”

Warrick nodded and seemed to agree. The rest had done Greg good and so did the news of Sara’s improvement.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” Nick said in his best reassuring voice. “You’ll see.”

It was Greg’s turn to nod; he felt that way too. Despite everything that happened, it really did seem to be turning out okay.

_Now it’s time to prove that you’ve come back here to rebuild._

_**‘Call and Answer’ by the Barenaked Ladies** _

Chapter 30: Rebuild

Sara was in the hospital for the next two weeks.

Greg wasn’t able to stay the entire time and Sara didn’t expect him too. So, it was decided with Grissom’s consent that he would return to work until she was released and then take two weeks off to help with her initial recovery.

Sara wasn’t going to be allowed back into the lab until at least a month after her hospital stay. And even then, she was only going to be allowed back conditionally. One of those conditions, no heavy lifting, was to be in force for another month. An additional restraint, put in place by Ecklie, was that Greg and Sara were not to work cases alone. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe that they had caused the situation at the house, but understanding as everyone now did that they were in fact together again he thought it best to separate them as much as possible.

That all settled the next difficulty came in deciding exactly where Sara would be staying. Knowing full well she didn’t want to move back into their house, Greg couldn’t stop calling it that despite the situation; he was at a loss.

That as well was settled not long after Sara regained the use of her voice as she asked Nick to help Greg with the move. Greg was surprised but said nothing about it, just helped in what turned out to be a very easy project. Most of Sara’s things, as he remembered from his visits to her place, had remained in boxes. With Warrick’s help, the three of them managed to do it all in a day.

When Sara finally left the hospital she really did need the extra help, as her ribs hadn’t yet healed completely. Her voice back, she and Greg could at least talk again, but the conversations were strangely off. They never discussed more than very basic things. Greg, somber since the ordeal, hadn’t much to say and Sara didn’t know where to begin. She’d learned everything that had happened that night in the house, mostly through Nick and Charlie, and much of what had happened afterwards from Warrick, but Greg didn’t want to talk about it. At all.

They continued on in an awkward semi-silence until Greg returned to work. At least after that he could tell her about what was happening, but seemed reluctant to say more. When he left each night he made sure he had everything she needed. He was always quick to buy her any magazines or books she might want and was even pre-cooking meals in case she got hungry.

Very little of his effort was necessary since Sara spent a lot of time resting. She was still on pain medication, which kept her fairly sedated, and in addition to that an inhaled steroid to help rebuild her lungs. At first Sara got winded just crossing the room, but soon with exercise and the medication, it grew better.

Their house was frequently visited by most of the lab and a good deal of the police department.

Charlie was one of their earliest visitors. He had stayed away from the hospital while she’d been there, but now knew it was time to stop by and clear the air. He wasn’t sure if Greg would even let him in, they hadn’t spoken since that night, but it really all seemed forgotten. It didn’t stop him from apologizing, several times, but Greg wouldn’t hear of it. He knew Charlie had just been doing his job. Sara as well couldn’t be mad, even after hearing all the facts.

Nick and Amy stopped by nearly daily. They’d usually bring food or a movie or something to help pass the time. Greg and Sara were always thankful for the company as it made it easier. If they couldn’t talk to each other, but they could at least talk to Nick and Amy.

Finally, a week after Greg returned, it all changed again.

He came home that morning, expecting to find her still asleep, but instead she was waiting for him on the couch.

“Morning,” he said, shutting the door as quietly as he could behind him out of habit.

Sara smiled faintly at him, but didn’t return the gesture.

Greg took in her features and saw that she was upset. It wasn’t always easy to tell with Sara but sometimes she let her emotions surface in her eyes.

“I’ve just been thinking,” she started slowly, “that before I go back to work I should move out again.”

Greg said nothing, just sat down in the nearest chair and looked down at his feet.

“My apartment is still leased and…”

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked, cutting her off before she could continue.

“Greg,” she answered, shaking her head, “it’s obvious you don’t really want me here.”

”Why would you think that?”

”I don’t know,” she answered. “We just never talk. You hardly come near me unless you have too.”

Sara stopped and looked away, tears coming to her eyes.

“I thought we were going to be okay but you still need time, I get that.”

”I don’t need any more time Sara,” Greg said warmly. “I know I’ve been…distant. I’m sorry. Time is the problem. I’ve been wasting it by being stubborn and now… now every time I leave I keep thinking that I might not see you again. That something is going to happen and this time…”

“Greg…”

”I’m sorry for how I acted before. I’m sorry that I wasn’t patient and just waited for you to come to me…”

”Greg,” Sara cut him off, taking hold of his hands and waiting for him to look up at her. “Don’t apologize. I was wrong, not you. I should have been more open. I will be; I won’t make that mistake again. But you can’t worry about everything. You can’t worry about the future, or about all the things that might happen or never will.”

”I can’t stop it though.”

Sara nodded and knew that was a part of Greg. That he’d have to talk about it, talk through it several times before he got over it.

“You will,” she said reassuringly.

Greg nodded and squeezed her hands.

“I know I haven’t been…well, anything like reasonable lately,” Greg offered.

“It’s fine,” she said, smiling. Relieved it wasn’t what she thought it was. That Greg really had changed his mind and decided against them for good. “I just…I’ve…”

”What?” he asked, startled by her sudden change.

“I’ve got something to tell you.”

Greg gave her a questioning look before sitting back and waiting for her to continue. It was his turn to be nervous, even though that wasn’t what she wanted.

“I don’t even know how to start,” she said slowly, “so I might as well just say it. I lost your ring.”

“Sara…” Greg tried, but she quickly cut him off.

“I’ve been looking for it for the last three days even though I knew it wouldn’t be in my things.”

”Sara you…”

”I had it with me during the fire, I’d…”

”Been carrying it around on a chain,” Greg finished for her. “I know. I found it in your things at the hospital.”

Greg smiled at her briefly, hoping she wasn’t mad. He’d taken it, pocketed it without thinking and then forgot he had it until a day later.

Taking it out of his pocket now, where he’d kept it since, he saw her smile in relief and cover her face with her hands.

“You don’t know…”

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said before she could finish.

She smiled and nodded, wiping her eyes quickly. She’d carried the ring since they’d broken up. Sara hadn’t worn it, but had kept it with her nearly at all times.

Greg got up and sat by her now. Tentatively he took hold of her left hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

She sat there, smiling through her tears, as he looked up and met her gaze. Leaning in he kissed her slowly and carefully, as if she might break. Worried he’d hurt her in some unforeseen way but still eager for her touch.

Sara did not share his reservations and after a moment moved closer and deepened the kiss. Pulling him to her by placing her hands on his face, he soon found he couldn’t resist and wrapped his arms around her as well.

Gasping at the contact, Greg pulled back immediately looking horrified that he’d done exactly what he’d feared doing most. That he might have hurt her.

Sara smiled at him; trying to make him see she was really okay.

“I’m just a little sore still,” she apologized, indicating her ribs, which he’d inadvertently grabbed hold of.

“Sara I’m so…”

Before he could finish, she’d tilted his head back to hers and kissed him again.

After that, everything was back to normal between them.

Greg and Sara never had to discuss it, at least not right away, but knew they’d be getting married soon. It was what they both wanted and it was how it needed to be.

Everyone else seemed to know it as well without anyone saying a word.

Sara returned to work, part time, a few weeks later. She was confined to the lab for the time being until cleared by Dr. Davidson, but that didn’t dampen her enthusiasm.

It took Greg some time but he began to realize, mostly with Sara’s help, that every day need not be feared. That yes, they’d have problems and still fight, but they’d also have each other; that bad things will happen, that there was no stopping them, but to live in fear wasn’t really living.

It was the happiest either of them had been in some time. Sara was eager to share her life with him, almost as eager as Greg was to hear it. There were no more secrets for them to keep. Not from each other and not from anyone else.

They’d both learned to appreciate every moment spent together, good or bad, and love one another more for it.

**The End**


End file.
